Retapamulin Cream – Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Interaction

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Retapamulin Cream/Retapamulin is a topical antibiotic developed by GlaxoSmithKline. It was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in April 2007 for the treatment of bacterial skin infections such as impetigo. It is marketed as an ointment under the name brand Altabax. Retapamulin,...

For severe symptoms, danger signs, pregnancy, child illness, or sudden worsening, seek urgent medical care.

বাংলা রোগী নোট এখনো যোগ করা হয়নি। পোস্ট এডিটরে “RX Bangla Patient Mode” বক্স থেকে সহজ বাংলা সারাংশ যোগ করুন।

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Article Summary

Retapamulin Cream/Retapamulin is a topical antibiotic developed by GlaxoSmithKline. It was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in April 2007 for the treatment of bacterial skin infections such as impetigo. It is marketed as an ointment under the name brand Altabax. Retapamulin, marketed by GlaxoSmithKline as the ointment Altabax, is an antibiotic for skin infections like impetigo. It was approved by the...

Key Takeaways

  • This article explains Mechanism of Action of Retapamulin in simple medical language.
  • This article explains Indications of Retapamulin in simple medical language.
  • This article explains Dosage of Retapamulin in simple medical language.
  • This article explains Side Effects of Retapamulin in simple medical language.
Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.
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Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

  • Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
  • New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
  • Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.
1

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

2

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

3

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

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Retapamulin Cream/Retapamulin is a topical bacterial infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।" data-rx-term="antibiotic" data-rx-definition="An antibiotic is a medicine used to treat bacterial infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।">antibiotic developed by GlaxoSmithKline. It was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in April 2007 for the treatment of bacterial skin infections such as impetigo. It is marketed as an ointment under the name brand Altabax.

Retapamulin, marketed by GlaxoSmithKline as the ointment Altabax, is an bacterial infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।" data-rx-term="antibiotic" data-rx-definition="An antibiotic is a medicine used to treat bacterial infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।">antibiotic for skin infections like impetigo. It was approved by the FDA in April 2007. Retapamulin is a Pleuromutilin Antibacterial. The chemical classification of retapamulin is pleuromutilin.

Mechanism of Action of Retapamulin

Retapamulin is a bacterial protein synthesis inhibitor belonging to a class of compounds called pleuromutilins. These compounds inhibit the initiation of protein synthesis by binding to a specific site on the 50S subunit of bacterial ribosome (domain V of 23S rRNA). This binding site involves ribosomal protein L3 and is in the region of the ribosomal P site and peptidyl transferase center. By virtue of binding to this site, pleuromutilins inhibit peptidyl transfer, block P-site interactions, and prevent the normal formation of active 50S ribosomal subunits.

Indications of Retapamulin

  • For use in adults and pediatric patients aged 9 months and older for the topical treatment of impetigo (up to 100 cm2 in total area in adults or 2% total body surface area in pediatric patients aged 9 months or older) due to Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-susceptible isolates only) or Streptococcus pyogenes.
  • Short term treatment of the following superficial skin infections in adults, adolescents, infants, and children.
  • Impetigo.
  • Infected small lacerations, abrasions, or sutured wounds.
  • regarding the clinical activity of retapamulin against different types of Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Consideration should be given to official guidance on the appropriate use of antibacterial medicinal products.
  • Short term treatment of the following superficial skin infections, small lacerations, abrasions or sutured wounds. Consideration should be given to official guidance on the appropriate use of antibacterial agents.
  • Staphylococcal impetigo
  • Streptococcal impetigo
  • Acne

Dosage of Retapamulin

Strengths: 1%

Impetigo

  • Apply a thin layer to the affected area (up to 100 cm2 in total area) twice a day for 5 days

Pediatric Dose for Impetigo

  • Apply a thin layer to the affected area (up to 2% total body surface area) twice a day for 5 days

Side Effects of Retapamulin

Most Common

  • Burning, itching, redness, skin rash, swelling, or soreness at the site
  • Burning, crusting, dryness, flaking of skin
  • Skin rash, encrusted, scaly, and oozing
  • Signs of a serious allergic reaction (e.g., abdominal cramps, difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, or swelling of the face and throat)
  • Diarrhea (watery and severe; may also be bloody)

Common 

  • Redness of the skin
  • itching, scaling, severe redness, soreness, swelling of the skin
  • pain at the site of application
  • unusually warm skin
  • Blistering, crusting, irritation, itching, or reddening of the skin
  • canker sores
  • cracked, dry, scaly skin
  • pain, swelling, tenderness, warmth on the skin
  • sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or tongue or inside the mouth

Rare

  • Abdominal or stomach pain when an area is touched or pressed. সহজ বাংলা: চাপ দিলে ব্যথা।" data-rx-term="tenderness" data-rx-definition="Tenderness means pain when an area is touched or pressed. সহজ বাংলা: চাপ দিলে ব্যথা।">tenderness
  • cough
  • difficulty with swallowing
  • dizziness
  • fast heartbeat
  • fever
  • hives or welts, itching, or skin rash
  • large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
  • puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  • redness of the skin
  • severe abdominal or stomach cramps and pain
  • tightness in the chest
  • unusual tiredness or weakness
  • watery and severe diarrhea, which may also be bloody

Drug Interactions of Retapamulin Cream

Retapamulin may interact with following drugs, supplements & may change the efficacy of drugs

  • amiodarone
  • amprenavir
  • aprepitant
  • atazanavir
  • bicalutamide
  • bromocriptine
  • ceritinib
  • chloramphenicol
  • cimetidine
  • ciprofloxacin
  • clarithromycin
  • clotrimazole
  • conivaptan
  • cyclosporine
  • danazol
  • darunavir
  • dasatinib
  • delavirdine
  • dihydroergotamine
  • diltiazem
  • erythromycin
  • fedratinib
  • fluconazole
  • fluvoxamine
  • fosamprenavir
  • fosaprepitant
  • fostamatinib
  • imatinib
  • indinavir
  • isavuconazonium
  • isoniazid
  • itraconazole
  • ketoconazole
  • lapatinib
  • miconazole
  • nifedipine
  • posaconazole
  • ribociclib
  • telithromycin
  • troleandomycin
  • verapamil
  • voriconazole
  • zafirlukast

Pregnancy Category Of Retapamulin Cream

Pregnancy

The safety of this medication for the treatment of infections during pregnancy is unknown. If you are or may be pregnant, talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of using retapamulin.

Lactation

If you are breast-feeding, talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of using this medication. If you are using this medication to treat a cracked nipple, your doctor may advise you to use a breast pump to pump the milk from the affected breast while you are using this medicine.


References

Retapamulin Cream - Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Interaction

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Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Start with a registered doctor or the nearest qualified health center.

What to tell the doctor

  • Write when the problem started and how it changed.
  • Bring old prescriptions, investigation reports, and current medicines.
  • Write allergies, pregnancy status, diabetes, kidney/liver disease, and major past illnesses.
  • Bring one family member if the patient is weak, elderly, confused, or a child.

Questions to ask

  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • Which danger signs mean I should go to hospital quickly?
  • Which tests are necessary now, and which can wait?
  • How should I take medicines safely and what side effects should I watch for?
  • When should I come for follow-up?

Tests to discuss

  • Vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation
  • Basic physical examination by a clinician
  • CBC, urine test, blood sugar, or imaging only when clinically needed

Avoid these mistakes

  • Do not use antibiotics, steroid tablets/injections, or strong painkillers without proper medical advice.
  • Do not hide pregnancy, kidney disease, ulcer, allergy, or blood thinner use.
  • Do not delay emergency care when danger signs are present.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

  • Avoid heavy lifting, sudden bending, and prolonged bed rest.
  • Use comfortable posture and gentle movement as tolerated.
  • Discuss physiotherapy, X-ray, or MRI only when clinically needed.

OTC medicine safety

  • For mild back pain, pain-relief medicine may be discussed with a doctor or pharmacist.
  • Avoid repeated painkiller use if you have kidney disease, stomach ulcer, uncontrolled blood pressure, or are taking blood thinners.

Avoid these mistakes

  • Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
  • Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
  • Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

  • Back pain with leg weakness, numbness around private area, loss of urine/stool control, fever, cancer history, or major injury needs urgent care.
Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Medicine doctor / pediatrician for children / qualified clinician
Tests to discuss with doctor
  • Temperature chart and hydration assessment
  • CBC with platelet count if fever persists or dengue/other infection is possible
  • Urine test, malaria/dengue tests, chest evaluation, or blood culture only when clinically indicated
Questions to ask
  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
  • Which tests are really needed now?
  • Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?
  • Do I need antibiotics, or is this more likely viral?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Safe pathway to proper treatment

Care roadmap for: Retapamulin Cream – Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Interaction

Use this simple roadmap to understand the next safe steps. It is educational and does not replace examination by a doctor.

Go to emergency care if you notice:
  • Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
  • Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration
Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.
  1. Step 1

    Check danger signs first

    If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.

  2. Step 2

    Record the symptom story

    Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.

  3. Step 3

    Visit a qualified clinician

    A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.

  4. Step 4

    Do only useful tests

    Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.

  5. Step 5

    Follow up and return early if worse

    If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips
  • Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
  • Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
  • Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

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Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.

References

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