| Agent | Dosing | Cost of generic (brand) | In retail discount programs* | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outpatient treatment | |||||
| Doxycycline | Adults: 100 mg orally twice daily | $13 ($136)† | ✓ | Not for use in children younger than eight years | |
| Mupirocin (Bactroban) | Adults and children: Apply topically three times daily for five days (impetigo: 2% ointment, secondary skin infections: 2% cream) | Ointment: $35 ($73) for 22 g† Cream: NA ($62) for 15 g† | For topical treatment of impetigo and folliculitis | ||
| Retapamulin (Altabax) | Adults and children: Apply 1% ointment twice daily for five days | NA ($50) for 5 g† | For treatment of impetigo | ||
| Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra) | Adults: One or two double-strength tablets twice daily Children7: 8 to 12 mg per kg (trimethoprim) orally daily in two divided doses | Adults: $17 ($47)† Children: $18 (NA)† | ✓ | For skin eruptions, including those related to Stevens-Johnson syndrome | |
| Outpatient or inpatient treatment | |||||
| Clindamycin (Cleocin) | Adults: 300 to 450 mg orally every six hours; 600 mg IV every eight hours Children7: 10 to 20 mg per kg orally daily in three divided doses; 24 to 40 mg per kg IV daily in three divided doses | Adults: | D-zone test should be performed for inducible clindamycin resistance; associated with Clostridium difficile colitis | ||
| Oral, $65 ($330)† | |||||
| IV, $138 ($292)‡ | |||||
| Children: | |||||
| Oral, $42 ($59)† | |||||
| IV, $115 ($139)‡ | |||||
| Linezolid (Zyvox)§ | Adults: 600 mg orally or IV every 12 hours Children7: 10 mg per kg orally or IV every 12 hours | Adults: | Oral and intravenous therapy have nearly equal bioavailability; use cautiously with SSRIs and MAOIs | ||
| Oral, NA ($1,724)† | |||||
| IV, NA ($2,280)‡ | |||||
| Children: | |||||
| Oral, NA ($440)† | |||||
| IV, NA ($1,140)‡ | |||||
| Preferred inpatient treatment | |||||
| Vancomycin | Adults: 15 mg per kg IV every 12 hours Children7: 40 mg per kg IV daily in four divided doses | Adults and children: $220 ($690)‡ | Preferred drug for MRSA; adjust dosing for patients with renal impairment | ||
| Treatment of highly resistant organisms | |||||
| Daptomycin (Cubicin) | Adults: 4 mg per kg IV every 24 hours | NA ($2,380)‡ | Associated with myopathy; gastrointestinal adverse effects common | ||
| Linezolid | Same as above | ||||
| Tigecycline (Tygacil) | Adults: 100-mg loading dose IV, then 50 mg IV every 12 hours | NA ($1,524)‡ | Not approved for children | ||