Mupirocin is a topical antibiotic that is used to treat certain types of bacterial skin infections, including acne.
The use of Mupirocin for the treatment of acne is somewhat controversial. Many individuals have reported that using Mupirocin helped improve their acne symptoms. However, laboratory antibiotic susceptibility testing has shown that many strains of the acne-causing P. acnes bacterium are naturally resistant to Mupirocin. Because of this natural resistance, Mupriocin is frequently ineffective as an acne treatment.
Mupirocin is also used to treat a variety of skin infections that are caused by gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The activity of Mupirocin against other types of bacteria than P. acnes, may explain some of the benefit that certain patients have reported.