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Bactroban

Bactroban

Ask a doctor about a prescription for Bactroban

This page is for general information. Consult a doctor for personal advice. Call emergency services if symptoms are severe.
About the medicine

How to use Bactroban

Package Leaflet: Information for the User

Warning! Keep the leaflet. Information on the immediate packaging in a foreign language.

Bactroban (Bactroban Nasal), 20 mg/g, nasal ointment

Mupirocin
Bactroban and Bactroban Nasal are different trade names for the same medicine.

Read the leaflet carefully before using the medicine, as it contains important information for the patient.

  • Keep this leaflet, so you can read it again if you need to.
  • If you have any doubts, consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.
  • This medicine has been prescribed specifically for you. Do not pass it on to others. The medicine may harm another person, even if their symptoms are the same.
  • If the patient experiences any side effects, including any side effects not listed in this leaflet, they should tell their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. See section 4.

Table of Contents of the Leaflet

  • 1. What is Bactroban and what is it used for
  • 2. Important information before using Bactroban
  • 3. How to use Bactroban
  • 4. Possible side effects
  • 5. How to store Bactroban
  • 6. Package contents and other information

1. What is Bactroban and what is it used for

Bactroban nasal ointment (referred to as Bactroban in this leaflet) contains the antibiotic
called mupirocin in the form of calcium mupirocin.

  • to eliminate bacteria from the nose, including a group called staphylococci, which includes MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

This ointment is intended for use in the nose only.

2. Important information before using Bactroban

When not to use Bactroban

If the patient is allergic to mupirocin or any of the other ingredients of Bactroban
(listed in section 6).
In case of doubts related to the use of the medicine, consult a doctor or pharmacist.

Warnings and precautions

  • do not use in newborns and infants.
  • do not use Bactroban in the eyes or near the eyes. Avoid eye contact.If the ointment gets into the eye, rinse it thoroughly with water until the ointment is removed.
  • do not use Bactroban in the mouth or swallow it.

Bactroban and other medicines

Tell your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines you are currently taking or
have recently taken, including those that are available without a prescription and herbal medicines, as well as any medicines you plan to take.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to have a child, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.

3. How to use Bactroban

Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. If you are not sure, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Using the medicine

Use Bactroban twice a dayin the nose.

  • 1. Wash and dry your hands.
  • 2. Squeeze a small amount of ointment, about the size of a match head, onto your little finger.
  • 3. Place it inside one of your nostrils.
  • 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the other nostril.
  • 5. Squeeze the nostrils together to spread the ointment evenly throughout the nostrils.
  • 6. Close the tube and wash your hands.

Small children and the elderly

Instead of using the little finger to apply the medicine, you can use a cotton swab.
Special precautions should be taken with these patients. Bactroban should not be used in newborns and infants.

How long to use Bactroban

Use Bactroban for as long as your doctor has prescribed. If you have any doubts, consult your doctor or pharmacist. Usually, the bacteria in the nose die after 3-5 days of treatment.
Do not use Bactroban for more than 10 days.

Using more Bactroban than prescribed

If you use more Bactroban than you should, consult your doctor or pharmacist. Carefully remove any excess ointment.
If you swallow Bactroban, contact your doctor immediately and tell them how much you have taken.

Missing a dose of Bactroban

If you forget to use the medicine, use it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose.
Do not use a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

Stopping Bactroban treatment

If you stop using Bactroban too early, not all the bacteria may be killed or they may continue to multiply. Ask your doctor or pharmacist when to stop using the ointment.
If you have any doubts about using the medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, Bactroban can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
The following side effects may occur:

  • itching, redness, burning, tingling, or stinging in the nose,
  • runny nose.

Very rare(may occur in less than 1 in 10,000 patients):

  • skin hypersensitivity reactions (rash, itching, redness, pain),
  • systemic allergic reactions, such as:
  • generalized rash, hives,
  • angioedema (swelling, sometimes also of the face and lips, which can lead to difficulty breathing),
  • fainting or loss of consciousness → if you experience any of these symptoms, stop using the medicine immediately and contact your doctor.

If you experience skin irritation or hypersensitivity

  • remove the ointment from the skin,
  • stop using the medicine,
  • tell your doctor as soon as possible.

In rare cases, medicines like Bactroban nasal ointment may cause colitis (inflammation of the colon) – characterized by diarrhea, usually bloody and containing mucus, abdominal pain, and fever ( pseudomembranous colitis).
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Reporting side effects

If you experience any side effects, including any side effects not listed in this leaflet, tell your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. Side effects can be reported directly to the Department of Monitoring of Adverse Reactions to Medicinal Products of the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products
Al. Jerozolimskie 181C
02-222 Warsaw
tel.: + 48 22 49 21 301
fax: + 48 22 49 21 309
website: https://smz.ezdrowie.gov.pl
By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Bactroban

Keep the medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Store in a temperature below 25°C.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the packaging. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month.
Do not use Bactroban if it looks different from normal (see description in point 6).
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. This will help protect the environment.

6. Package contents and other information

What Bactroban contains

  • The active substance is mupirocin in the form of calcium mupirocin. Each gram of nasal ointment contains 20 mg of mupirocin.
  • The other ingredients are: white petrolatum, acylglycerols (Softisan 649).

What Bactroban looks like and what the package contains

Bactroban is a white ointment with a uniform consistency. The medicine is available in lacquered aluminum tubes containing 3 g of ointment, in a cardboard box.
For more detailed information, consult the marketing authorization holder or parallel importer.

Marketing authorization holder in the Czech Republic, the country of export:

GlaxoSmithKline (Ireland) Limited
12 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Ireland

Manufacturer:

GlaxoSmithKline Trading Services Limited
12 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Ireland
GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals S.A.
ul. Grunwaldzka 189, 60-322 Poznań, Poland

Parallel importer:

Delfarma Sp. z o.o.
ul. Św. Teresy od Dzieciątka Jezus 111, 91-222 Łódź

Repackaged by:

Delfarma Sp. z o.o.
ul. Św. Teresy od Dzieciątka Jezus 111, 91-222 Łódź
Marketing authorization number in the Czech Republic, the country of export: 69/384/95-C

Parallel import authorization number: 345/22 Date of approval of the leaflet: 21.09.2022

[Information about the trademark]

  • Country of registration
  • Active substance
  • Prescription required
    Yes
  • Marketing authorisation holder (MAH)
    GlaxoSmithKline (Ireland) Limited
  • Alternatives to Bactroban
    Dosage form: Ointment, 20 mg/g
    Active substance: mupirocin
    Prescription required
    Dosage form: Ointment, 20 mg/g
    Active substance: mupirocin
    Prescription required
    Dosage form: Ointment, 20 mg/g
    Active substance: mupirocin
    Prescription required

Alternatives to Bactroban in other countries

The best alternatives with the same active ingredient and therapeutic effect.

Alternative to Bactroban in Ukraine

Dosage form: powder, 35 doses
Prescription not required
Dosage form: powder, 0.2 g, 1 vial with 10 ml solvent
Manufacturer: TOV "Istok-Plus
Prescription not required
Dosage form: powder, 0.1 g 1 vial with powder
Manufacturer: TOV "Istok-Plus
Prescription not required

Alternative to Bactroban in Spain

Dosage form: NASAL PRODUCT, 850 mg sodium chloride / 100 ml
Active substance: various
Prescription not required
Dosage form: NASAL PRODUCT, 12500 IU/g
Active substance: retinol
Manufacturer: Laboratorio Stada S.L.
Prescription not required
Dosage form: NASAL PRODUCT, 0.3 mg/ml
Active substance: ipratropium bromide
Manufacturer: Laboratorio Stada S.L.
Prescription required

Online doctors for Bactroban

Discuss dosage, side effects, interactions, contraindications, and prescription renewal for Bactroban – subject to medical assessment and local rules.

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Karina Travkina

Otolaryngology (ENT)16 years of experience

Dr Karina Travkina is an ENT specialist providing online consultations for adults with acute and chronic conditions affecting the ears, nose and throat. She takes a structured and personalised approach to each consultation, beginning with a thorough review of symptoms and medical history, followed by diagnostic interpretation and a tailored treatment plan.

Common reasons for consultation include:

  • chronic pharyngitis and recurrent tonsillitis
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  • nosebleeds, earwax build-up, or foreign bodies in the ear, nose, or throat
  • Eustachian tube dysfunction and related complaints
Dr Travkina follows evidence-based guidelines and ensures patients receive clear explanations and follow-up recommendations. Whether you need help with ENT symptoms, clarification of test results, or guidance on next steps – she offers expert medical advice in a convenient online format.
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Doctor

Tetiana Fursenko

Otolaryngology (ENT)4 years of experience

Dr. Tetiana Fursenko is an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist offering online consultations for both adults and children. She focuses on diagnosing and treating conditions of the upper respiratory tract using evidence-based medical guidelines and personalised treatment plans.

Common concerns addressed during consultation:

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  • Foreign objects in the ear or nose.
  • ENT-related check-ups and chronic condition follow-up.

Dr. Fursenko helps patients manage symptoms early, avoid complications, and receive timely treatment. Online ENT consultations are a convenient way to access care for both urgent and recurring conditions — from anywhere.

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