T-Bact 15g Ointment

T-Bact Ointment is GSK India's mupirocin 2% w/w antibiotic ointment for bacterial skin infections such as impetigo, folliculitis and infected cuts, grazes and minor burns. Mupirocin is the same antibiotic as in Bactroban, GSK's original brand. The tube we sell is the Indian 15 g pack: the carton and tube in our product photo read "T-bact", "MUPIROCIN OINTMENT IP", "15 g" and "Mupirocin IP 2.0% w/w" with the GSK logo. Tata 1mg and PharmEasy name GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd as the maker. We sell it as 1, 3 or 6 tubes, from $11.00 a tube in the 6 pack before shipping.

Please read this before you order. Mupirocin ointment is a prescription medicine in the US, the UK and Australia. It is meant for a short course on a diagnosed infection: the US label says three times a day "for up to 10 days", and for impetigo NICE in the UK recommends it for 5 days only as the alternative when fusidic acid resistance is suspected or confirmed. The UK and GSK India labels also say "Any product remaining at the end of treatment should be discarded", so a tube is not meant to be kept for next time. Our delivery takes 7 to 14 business days, which is longer than a whole course. In our view, anyone with a skin infection now should see a pharmacist or doctor locally, and in the US a generic mupirocin ointment costs a pharmacy far less than our tube (see the price comparison below).

T-Bact Ointment at a glance

Price per tube

Prices below are as of October 2026; the pack selector shows the current price.

All three packs are under the $149 free shipping threshold, so every order pays the flat $25 shipping; on a single tube the shipping costs more than the ointment. If each tube is 15 g, as in our product photo, the ointment costs $0.73 to $1.07 a gram before shipping and $1.01 to $2.73 a gram with shipping (our arithmetic). In India the listed maximum retail price is Rs 327.13 for the 15 g tube (Tata 1mg, PharmEasy) and Rs 108.36 for the 5 g tube (PharmEasy).

How much is one course? No label gives grams per course. The US label works out its animal safety margins against a human topical dose of "approximately 60 mg mupirocin per day", which is about 3 g of ointment a day (our arithmetic). Even at that amount, the label maximum of 10 days uses about 30 g, or two 15 g tubes; a small patch of impetigo treated for NICE's 5 days needs far less (our estimate). So for one person and one infection, the 6 pack (about 90 g) is several times more than the label course, and the UK and GSK India labels say leftover ointment should be thrown away at the end of treatment. Please do not buy tubes to keep at home: see the resistance section below.

Compared with what you can get locally

Said plainly: before shipping, one of our tubes costs about 2.5 to 3.6 times what a US pharmacy pays for a 15 g generic mupirocin tube, and with shipping the gap is wider (our arithmetic from NADAC). A US reader needs a prescription for mupirocin anyway, and a US pharmacy can usually fill it the same day (our view). In the UK, Canada and Australia, a local pharmacist or prescriber will also be faster than our 7 to 14 business days.

What NICE says about impetigo treatment

NICE guideline NG153, Impetigo: antimicrobial prescribing (published 26 February 2020), sets this order for people who are not systemically unwell or at high risk of complications:

• Localised non-bullous impetigo: "Consider hydrogen peroxide 1% cream" first (1.1.2). If it is unsuitable, "offer a short course of a topical antibiotic" (1.1.3).
• First-choice topical antibiotic: fusidic acid 2%, three times a day for 5 days (Tables 1 and 2).
• Mupirocin 2% is the alternative "if fusidic acid resistance is suspected or confirmed", also three times a day for 5 days. So in the UK, mupirocin is not the first antibiotic NICE reaches for.
• Course length: "A 5-day course is usually appropriate but can be increased to 7 days based on clinical judgement, depending on the severity and number of lesions."
• MRSA: "If meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is suspected or confirmed: Consult a local microbiologist".
• Bullous impetigo, or anyone systemically unwell or at high risk of complications: a short course of an oral antibiotic, not a topical one (1.1.5). NICE also says "Do not offer combination treatment with a topical and oral antibiotic to treat impetigo" (1.1.6).
• If it does not work: for impetigo that is worsening or has not improved after a topical course, NICE says offer a short course of an oral antibiotic and consider a skin swab (1.1.11), not a second tube.

The NHS says impetigo "stops being contagious 48 hours after you start using hydrogen peroxide cream or antibiotics prescribed by a pharmacist or GP". That is another reason to start treatment locally rather than wait for a parcel.

Resistance: why courses are short

• NICE NG153: "As with all antibiotics, extended or recurrent use of topical fusidic acid or mupirocin may increase the risk of developing antimicrobial resistance."
• US label 12.4: "High-level plasmid-mediated resistance (MIC ≥512 mcg/mL) has been reported in increasing numbers of isolates of S. aureus and with higher frequency in coagulase-negative staphylococci. Mupirocin resistance occurs with greater frequency in methicillin-resistant than methicillin-susceptible staphylococci."
• Labels on overgrowth: prolonged use "may result in overgrowth of nonsusceptible microorganisms, including fungi" (US 5.5; UK 4.4 and GSK India 4.4 say "prolonged use may result in overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms").
• New Zealand (Upton 2003, PMID 12615862): mupirocin resistance in S. aureus rose steadily through the 1990s and averaged 28% by 1999. The authors postulated that this "may be due, at least in part, to the over the counter availability of mupirocin from 1991 to 2000".

A separate mupirocin nasal ointment exists for intranasal use (US label 5.6), and NICE mentions nasal decolonisation for impetigo that keeps coming back (1.1.13), so resistance would cost more than one skin cream. In our view, using the skin ointment for every scratch, or keeping tubes for repeat self-treatment, is exactly the pattern that wears this antibiotic out. Use it only for an infection a pharmacist or doctor has confirmed, for the course they set, and not on rashes, acne or wounds that are not infected.

How to use T-Bact Ointment

These steps come from the GSK India prescribing information, the US mupirocin ointment label (2 Dosage and Administration, 17 and Patient Information) and the UK Bactroban ointment label. Follow the directions of the doctor or pharmacist who diagnosed the infection.

1. Wash your hands before and after applying it (US Patient Information). Tata 1mg says clean and dry the affected area first.
2. Apply a small amount to cover the affected area only. The US label says use "a cotton swab or gauze pad". US: 3 times daily for up to 10 days. UK and GSK India: 2 to 3 times a day for up to 10 days, depending on the response.
3. A dressing is optional. "The treated area may be covered by a dressing" (UK 4.2; GSK India 4.2).
4. Do not mix it with other creams or ointments. US label: "Do not apply mupirocin ointment concurrently with any other lotions, creams, or ointments." UK label: mixing risks "dilution, resulting in a reduction of the antibacterial activity and potential loss of stability".
5. Skin only. Do not put it in the eyes, nose, mouth or vagina (US Patient Information). If it gets in an eye, rinse well with water (US 5.2; UK 4.4).
6. Not for the nose. This skin ointment "is not suitable for ... intranasal use" (UK 4.4; GSK India 4.4). The US label says "A separate formulation, mupirocin nasal ointment, is available for intranasal use" (5.6). Apollo's listing mentions nasal use, but the GSK India label says T-Bact Ointment is not suitable for intranasal use.
7. Check progress at 3 to 5 days. US Patient Information: "Talk to your healthcare provider if your skin does not improve after 3 to 5 days of treatment." Tata 1mg: "Do not use it for more than 10 days unless your doctor directs you to do so."
8. Finish the course you were given, then stop. The US Patient Information says not to stop early. The UK and GSK India labels say "Any product remaining at the end of treatment should be discarded."

To help stop impetigo spreading, the NHS advises washing flannels, towels and bedding at a high temperature, not sharing them, not touching or scratching the sores, and staying away from work, school or nursery until no longer contagious.

Side effects

US label 6.1: in clinical trials of mupirocin ointment, "burning, stinging, or pain in 1.5% of subjects; itching in 1% of subjects". "Rash, nausea, erythema, dry skin, tenderness, swelling, contact dermatitis, and increased exudate were reported in less than 1% of subjects."

The UK common and uncommon figures come from pooled data on 1,573 patients in 12 clinical studies (UK 4.8). The GSK India label lists the same reactions. Both the US and UK labels also warn about diarrhoea after antibiotic use (C. difficile or pseudomembranous colitis); the UK label says this is less likely with mupirocin on the skin.

When to get urgent help

• Severe allergy: the US Patient Information says stop using it and "call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest emergency room right away" for hives, trouble breathing or wheezing, swelling of your face, lips, mouth or tongue, dizziness, fast heartbeat or pounding in your chest, or a rash over your whole body. With throat swelling or trouble breathing, call emergency services: 911 in the US and Canada, 999 in the UK, 000 in Australia (our advice).
• Diarrhoea during or after treatment: US Patient Information: "Call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest emergency room right away if you have diarrhea while using or after you stop using mupirocin ointment." UK 4.4: with prolonged or significant diarrhoea or abdominal cramps, "treatment should be discontinued immediately".
• Signs of a deeper or spreading infection: NICE says refer to hospital people with impetigo and signs of a more serious illness such as cellulitis, and people with widespread impetigo who are immunocompromised (1.1.15). Spreading redness, a hot, swollen or very painful area, a high temperature or feeling unwell need same-day medical care, not more ointment (our advice).
• Babies: NICE says consider specialist advice for bullous impetigo, "particularly in babies (aged 1 year and under)" (1.1.16). The US label says safety in babies under 2 months is not known.
• Swallowed ointment: the UK label says experience with overdose is limited and treatment is supportive (4.9). In the US call Poison Control on 1-800-222-1222; in Australia the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 (our advice).

Who should not use T-Bact Ointment

Do not use it (the label each item comes from is named):

• if you are allergic to mupirocin or any ingredient, including polyethylene glycol (US label 4; UK 4.3; GSK India 4.3)
• in the eyes or the nose: "not suitable for ophthalmic use, intranasal use" (GSK India 4.4; UK 4.3 and 4.4); US: "not for intranasal, ophthalmic, or other mucosal use" (2)
• with intravenous cannulae or at central line sites: the US label says it "should not be used" there "because of the potential to promote fungal infections and antimicrobial resistance" (5.8); UK and GSK India 4.4 say "not suitable"
• in conditions where "absorption of large quantities of polyethylene glycol is possible, especially if there is evidence of moderate or severe renal impairment" (US 5.7; UK 4.4; GSK India 4.4). The US Patient Information adds: "You should not apply mupirocin ointment to open skin wounds or damaged skin, especially if you have kidney problems." It also says polyethylene glycol "in large amounts can cause kidney damage".
• mixed with, or at the same time as, other creams or ointments on the same area (US 2; UK 4.2)
• without a confirmed or strongly suspected bacterial infection, or for longer than the course you were given (our advice, based on the resistance warnings above)

Ask a doctor first:

• Kidney problems: the US Patient Information says tell your healthcare provider if you have kidney problems before using it.
• Pregnancy: UK 4.6: "As there is no clinical experience on its use during pregnancy, Bactroban should only be used in pregnancy when the potential benefits outweigh the possible risks of treatment." US 8.1: there are insufficient human data, and absorption through intact skin is minimal. GSK India 4.6: "Adequate human data on use during pregnancy are not available."
• Breastfeeding: if a cracked nipple is treated, "it should be thoroughly washed prior to breast feeding" (UK 4.6; GSK India 4.6). The US label says the same for a treated breast or nipple (8.2).
• Babies: the US label established safety and effectiveness from 2 months to 16 years (8.4); under 2 months it is not known.
• Impetigo that keeps coming back, bullous impetigo, widespread infection or a weakened immune system (NICE 1.1.5, 1.1.13, 1.1.15).

Other medicines: the UK label says "No drug interactions have been identified" (4.5). The US label says the effect of using it alongside other skin products has not been studied (12.3), which is why it says not to apply other products at the same time.

What the evidence shows

• US label section 14: in a placebo-controlled impetigo trial (3 times daily for 8 to 12 days), clinical efficacy at the end of therapy was 71% with mupirocin ointment (n = 49) against 35% with the vehicle (n = 51). In a second, unblinded trial against oral erythromycin for 8 days, efficacy at follow up was 93% (n = 29) against 78.5% (n = 28). Both were small trials.
• Koning 2012, Cochrane (PMID 22258953): 68 trials, 5,578 participants. Topical antibiotics cured more people than placebo (risk ratio 2.24, 6 studies, 575 participants). In 4 studies with 440 participants there was "no clear evidence" that mupirocin or fusidic acid was more effective than the other, and in 10 studies with 581 participants topical mupirocin was slightly better than oral erythromycin (risk ratio 1.07).

Our reading: mupirocin works well for small areas of impetigo when the bacteria are sensitive. The main risk is not side effects but resistance from overuse, which is why guideline bodies keep it for short, supervised courses.

Other mupirocin and impetigo products we sell

None of these is a substitute for seeing someone about an infection now, and none should be kept at home for repeated self-treatment (our view).

Prescription and legal status

• India: the GSK India prescribing information is headed "For the use only of Registered Medical Practitioners or a Hospital or a Laboratory". PharmEasy and Apollo show no prescription tag, and Tata 1mg says orders are accepted against a doctor's prescription. We did not confirm the drug schedule printed on the Indian carton.
• US: mupirocin ointment is a prescription medicine (US Patient Information; all current Drugs@FDA mupirocin ointments are marked Prescription). This Indian tube is not registered with the FDA. The FDA says personal importation of drugs is illegal in most circumstances.
• UK: Bactroban 2% Ointment is a prescription only medicine (POM, emc). This Indian tube is not registered with the MHRA.
• Canada: the Health Canada Drug Product Database lists Taro-Mupirocin ointment and Stramucin cream as marketed under non-prescription drugs, but NAPRA's National Drug Schedules list mupirocin in Schedule I (prescription required) in the provinces that use them (NAPRA, checked 31 October 2026). This Indian tube is not registered with Health Canada.
• Australia: mupirocin is in Schedule 4 (prescription only) of the Poisons Standard October 2026 (F2026L01327), and Bactroban is Schedule 4 on healthdirect. This Indian tube is not registered with the TGA.

Check the rules where you live before you order.

Buying genuine T-Bact Ointment

The MHRA warns: "Any medicine not authorised for sale in the UK can be unsafe or ineffective and there is no way of knowing what is in them or the negative health effects they can have." It advises UK buyers: "Only use UK-registered pharmacies, including online pharmacies displaying the official green cross logo". That warning covers this Indian tube, which is not authorised in the UK. When your order arrives, check that the carton and tube say T-bact and mupirocin 2% w/w, show the tube size (15 g in our photo; a 5 g tube also exists in India), name GSK, carry a batch number and an expiry date, and that the tube seal is intact. These checks cannot prove a tube is genuine, because counterfeiters copy packaging. If a tube causes unusual symptoms, stop using it, seek medical advice, and report it to your medicines regulator (the MHRA Yellow Card scheme in the UK, FDA MedWatch in the US, the TGA in Australia or Health Canada) as well as to us. Store it at or below 25 °C away from direct sunlight, do not freeze it (GSK India), and keep it out of the reach of children.

Delivery

We ship T-Bact Ointment to the US, UK, Australia and Canada in plain packaging with tracking. Standard delivery takes 7 to 14 business days to most countries, which is longer than a NICE impetigo course: an infection you have now should be treated with what you can get locally. Shipping costs a flat $25 on orders under $149 and is free from $149. See our shipping page and refund policy.

Related guides

• Antibiotic resistance: when antibiotics don't work
• Is it safe to buy medicine online?
• How to verify a legitimate online pharmacy in the USA

Sources

• T-BACT Ointment (Mupirocin Ointment I.P.) prescribing information, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited, Mumbai, version TBACO/PI/IN/2025/01, revised 20 June 2025, sections 4.1 to 4.8 and storage. GSK India
• Mupirocin Ointment USP 2% US label and Patient Information (Glenmark Pharmaceuticals; relabeled by Preferred Pharmaceuticals), DailyMed setid 06a4ee22-d8f8-4a8a-8666-82b14f2d8476, version 3, published 30 July 2026, label text revised August 2021, sections 1, 2, 4, 5.1 to 5.8, 6, 8.1, 8.2, 8.4, 12.3, 12.4, 14, 17. DailyMed
• Bactroban 2% Ointment, Summary of Product Characteristics, Beecham Group plc trading as GlaxoSmithKline UK, PL 00038/0319, text revised 6 November 2024, sections 4.2 to 4.9, 6.1, 6.4 to 6.6; legal category POM. emc
• US Food and Drug Administration: Drugs@FDA entries for Bactroban (NDA 050591, ointment, discontinued) and current mupirocin ointment ANDAs (prescription); openFDA NDC directory for mupirocin tube sizes; checked 31 October 2026.
• NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost), data.medicaid.gov, as of 28 October 2026: mupirocin 2% ointment rows effective 21 October 2026 (15 g NDCs $0.29301 per gram; 22 g NDCs $0.14519 per gram); no Bactroban row.
• Health Canada Drug Product Database: Bactroban DIN 01916947 (cancelled post market 24 July 2020), Taro-Mupirocin DIN 02279983 and Stramucin DIN 02483459 (marketed, non-prescription drugs), checked 31 October 2026.
• PBS item 4350Y, mupirocin 2% ointment 15 g (Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits; brands Bactroban, APO-Mupirocin, Medicianz, Mupirocin-WGR), checked 31 October 2026. PBS
• healthdirect Australia, Bactroban (mupirocin), Schedule 4, data updated 1 October 2026; Poisons Standard October 2026 (F2026L01327, in force 1 October 2026), Schedule 4 entry "MUPIROCIN". healthdirect
• NAPRA. National Drug Schedules: mupirocin listed in Schedule I, checked 31 October 2026. NAPRA
• NICE. Impetigo: antimicrobial prescribing (NG153), published 26 February 2020, recommendations 1.1.2 to 1.1.16 and Tables 1 and 2. NICE
• NHS. Impetigo, read 28 October 2026. NHS
• Indian listings for T-Bact Ointment (composition, maker, tube sizes, price, storage, prescription status): Tata 1mg, PharmEasy (5 g and 15 g) and Apollo Pharmacy (5 g and 15 g), checked 31 October 2026; our product photo of the Indian carton and tube.
• Koning S, et al. Interventions for impetigo. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012. PMID 22258953.
• Upton A, Lang S, Heffernan H. Mupirocin and Staphylococcus aureus: a recent paradigm of emerging antibiotic resistance. J Antimicrob Chemother 2003. PMID 12615862.
• MHRA. 20 million illegal erectile dysfunction pills seized as MHRA warns against risky online buys, 13 February 2026. GOV.UK.
• US Food and Drug Administration. Personal Importation. FDA

This page is for information and is not medical advice. A skin infection that is spreading, blistering, near the eyes, in a baby or in someone who feels unwell needs a doctor or pharmacist now; do not wait for a delivery.