Mupirocin is an antibiotic that is used to treat impetigo and some other bacterial skin infections and to eliminate staphylococci from the nose. Mupirocin works by interfering with the bacteria's production of the proteins it needs to grow and multiply.
It is available only as an ointment.
Health care practitioners may recommend applying the antibiotic mupirocin inside the nostrils to eliminate staphylococci from the nose. However, because overusing mupirocin can lead to mupirocin resistance, this antibiotic is used only when people are likely to get an infection. For example, it is given to people before certain operations or to people who live in a household in which the skin infection is spreading.
Some common side effects of mupirocin are itching and burning.
