Opportunities for mupirocin calcium cream in the emergency department

Mupirocin calcium cream is a newly reformulated topical antibiotic with a bactericidal spectrum specific for the pathogens that frequently cause secondary infections in superficial wounds. Both the calcium cream and ointment formulations have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of secondarily infected traumatic lesions and dermatoses, including eczema, burns, wounds, bites, and ulcers. Mupirocin has a low risk of systemic and topical complications. To date, antimicrobial resistance is rare among target pathogens. The use of mupirocin to treat secondary wound infection has a profile of high efficacy and does not impair the normal healing in traumatized skin.