Comprehensive medication guide to Mupirocin including estimated pricing, availability information, side effects, and how to find it in stock at your local pharmacy.
Estimated Insurance Pricing
$0–$20 copay for generic mupirocin ointment; covered as Tier 1 on most commercial, Medicare Part D, and Medicaid plans. A small percentage of Medicaid plans may require prior authorization.
Estimated Cash Pricing
$34–$77 retail for a 22g tube of generic mupirocin 2% ointment; as low as $4.34–$6.99 with GoodRx or SingleCare coupons. The 2% cream is significantly more expensive ($200+ retail).
Medfinder Findability Score
88/100
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Mupirocin is a prescription topical antibiotic used to treat bacterial skin infections. Previously sold under the brand names Bactroban and Centany — both now discontinued — it is widely available as a generic medication. Mupirocin is listed on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines and was first FDA-approved in 1987.
It comes in two formulations: a 2% ointment (in 15g and 22g tubes) for treating impetigo, and a 2% cream (in 15g and 30g tubes) for secondary infections of traumatic skin lesions. The ointment is far more commonly prescribed and stocked.
Mupirocin is a naturally occurring antibiotic, originally isolated in 1971 from the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens. Its unique mechanism of action — blocking isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase in bacteria — means it has no cross-resistance with other antibiotic classes, making it particularly effective even against some MRSA strains.
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Mupirocin works by blocking a bacterial enzyme called isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase. This enzyme is responsible for attaching the amino acid isoleucine to its transfer RNA (tRNA) — a critical step in protein synthesis. By blocking this enzyme, mupirocin prevents bacteria from building the proteins they need to survive and multiply.
At concentrations achieved by topical application, mupirocin is bactericidal — it kills susceptible bacteria rather than just inhibiting them. Because the human version of this enzyme has a different structure, mupirocin targets bacteria without harming human cells, which explains its excellent local tolerability.
This mechanism is completely unlike all other commonly used antibiotics (which target cell walls, cell membranes, or DNA replication), meaning bacteria that are resistant to penicillins, cephalosporins, or fluoroquinolones can still be susceptible to mupirocin — provided they haven't also developed specific mupirocin resistance genes (MupA or MupB).
2% — ointment (15g tube)
For impetigo; apply 3x daily up to 10 days; for adults and children 2 months and older
2% — ointment (22g tube)
For impetigo; apply 3x daily up to 10 days; larger tube for more extensive treatment areas
2% — cream (15g tube)
For secondary infections of traumatic lesions; apply 3x daily up to 10 days; adults and children 3 months and older
2% — cream (30g tube)
For secondary infections of traumatic lesions; larger tube for more extensive areas
As of 2026, mupirocin is not in a national shortage. Its patent expired in 2001 and multiple generic manufacturers supply the U.S. market. The medication is generally widely available at large retail pharmacy chains including CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Costco.
However, temporary localized stock-outs do occur — particularly at smaller pharmacies, during summer and back-to-school season when impetigo is most common, or after institutional MRSA outbreaks increase bulk demand. The mupirocin 2% cream formulation is considerably harder to find than the ointment, as it is less commonly stocked.
If your pharmacy is out of mupirocin, medfinder can contact pharmacies near you to find which ones have it in stock — saving you the frustration of calling multiple pharmacies yourself.
Mupirocin is not a controlled substance and has no special DEA prescribing restrictions. Any licensed healthcare provider authorized to prescribe in their state can write a mupirocin prescription. No DEA registration number is required.
Primary care physicians (family medicine, internal medicine)
Pediatricians
Dermatologists
Nurse practitioners (NPs) — in all U.S. states
Physician assistants (PAs) — in all U.S. states
Urgent care providers
Mupirocin is also commonly prescribed via telehealth for straightforward impetigo presentations. Platforms such as Teladoc, MDLive, Dr. B, and Amazon Clinic can provide same-day prescriptions based on photo or video assessment of skin infections, making access convenient without an in-person visit.
No. Mupirocin is not a controlled substance and is not scheduled by the DEA. There are no special prescribing restrictions, no limits on refills, and no prescription quantity limits beyond what your provider recommends. Any licensed prescriber — including nurse practitioners and physician assistants — can prescribe mupirocin without special authorization.
Mupirocin prescriptions can be sent electronically to any pharmacy and transferred between pharmacies freely. Because it is a prescription-only antibiotic (not available OTC), a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider is still required to purchase it.
Mupirocin is generally very well tolerated. Common side effects (occurring in a small percentage of patients) include:
Burning, stinging, or pain at the application site
Itching (pruritus)
Rash or contact dermatitis
Headache (more common with intranasal formulation)
Nausea (rare)
Serious side effects are rare. Stop using mupirocin and seek immediate medical attention for:
Severe allergic reaction — hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of face/lips/tongue/throat (anaphylaxis)
Severe worsening of skin reaction — blistering, peeling, exfoliative dermatitis
Severe diarrhea — watery or bloody diarrhea may indicate C. difficile colitis
Signs of fungal superinfection — new infection pattern after prolonged use
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Retapamulin (Altabax)
Prescription topical pleuromutilin antibiotic; FDA-approved for impetigo due to MSSA and S. pyogenes only (not MRSA); applied twice daily for 5 days — a simpler regimen than mupirocin; approved for age 9 months and older; more expensive than generic mupirocin
Ozenoxacin (Xepi)
FDA-approved topical quinolone antibiotic for impetigo; applied twice daily for 5 days; approved for age 2 months and older; broader spectrum but higher cost; newer agent with rapid microbiologic clearance
Cephalexin (oral)
Oral first-generation cephalosporin; first-line for extensive or bullous impetigo; equally effective as topical mupirocin in clinical trials; very low cost as generic; requires systemic dosing with GI side effect risk
Clindamycin (oral)
Oral antibiotic effective for community-acquired MRSA skin infections; check local antibiogram for resistance rates; used when MRSA is suspected
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Other topical preparations (concurrent application)
minorDo not apply mupirocin concurrently with other lotions, creams, or ointments to the same skin area — may reduce mupirocin bioavailability at application site. Apply separately.
Intranasal medications (with ointment formulation)
minorThe dermatologic ointment formulation should not be used concurrently with nasal preparations at the same intranasal site. The PEG vehicle was designed for skin.
Mupirocin remains the first-line prescription topical antibiotic for impetigo and secondary skin infections in 2026. Despite the discontinuation of all brand-name formulations (Bactroban, Centany), generic mupirocin is widely available, highly effective, and among the most affordable antibiotics on the market — under $10 for a full treatment course with a GoodRx or SingleCare coupon.
Its unique mechanism of action means no cross-resistance with other antibiotics, and its minimal systemic absorption means essentially no drug interactions and an excellent safety profile even in children as young as 2 months. The main clinical caution is limiting use to 10 days or less to avoid promoting resistance.
If you're having trouble finding mupirocin at your pharmacy, medfinder can contact pharmacies near you to find which ones have it in stock — saving you the time and frustration of making call after call on your own.
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Our medication guides are researched and written to help patients make informed decisions. All content is reviewed for accuracy and updated regularly. Learn more about our standards
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