II. Indications

  1. Minor open wounds
  2. Burn Injury
  3. Skin Abrasions
  4. Hordeolum

III. Mechanism

  1. Bacitracin A (and other cyclic polypeptides) are produced by spore forming Bacillus subtilis (licheniformin group)
  2. Bacitracin inhibits carrier (C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate) transporting Bacterial cell wall precursors across Bacterial plasma membrane
    1. Blocks peptidoglycan synthesis and Bacterial cell wall construction
  3. Covers typical Gram Positive Bacteria on the skin (includes MSSA)
  4. May speed Wound Healing (retains moisture within the wound, preventing eschar)
    1. When Antibiotics are not indicated, consider bland topicals (e.g. aquaphor) instead
  5. Bacitracin Zinc is preferred over "triple Antibiotic" (Neomycin/polymyxin B/Bacitracin)
    1. Triple Antibiotic ointment has a greater risk of Contact Dermatitis, without significant added benefit

IV. Dosing

  1. Apply one to three times daily

V. Adverse Effects

Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)

Related Studies

Cost: Medications

bacitracin (on 12/21/2022 at Medicaid.Gov Survey of pharmacy drug pricing)
BACITRACIN 500 UNIT/GM OINTMNT Generic OTC $0.07 per gram
BACITRACIN 500 UNIT/GM OPHTHALMIC OINTMENT Generic $30.53 per gram
BACITRACIN ZN 500 UNIT/GM OINT Generic OTC $0.07 per gram
BACITRACIN-POLYMYXIN EYE OINT Generic $2.64 per gram

Ontology: Bacitracin (C0004599)

Definition (NCI) A complex of cyclic polypeptide antibiotics, mainly bacitracin A, produced by spore-forming organisms belonging to the licheniformin group of the Bacillus subtilis with antibacterial activity. Bacitracin binds to C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate, a biphosphate lipid transport molecule that carries the building blocks of the peptidoglycan bacterial cell wall. The binding interferes with the enzymatic dephosphorylation of the C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate and prevents peptidoglycan synthesis, thereby inhibiting bacterial cell growth.
Definition (MSH) A complex of cyclic peptide antibiotics produced by the Tracy-I strain of Bacillus subtilis. The commercial preparation is a mixture of at least nine bacitracins with bacitracin A as the major constituent. It is used topically to treat open infections such as infected eczema and infected dermal ulcers. (From Goodman and Gilman, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1140)
Concepts Antibiotic (T195) , Amino Acid, Peptide, or Protein (T116)
MSH D001414
SnomedCT 255965000, 5220000, 370330005
LNC LP14906-9, MTHU002155
English bacitracin, bacitracin (medication), BACITRACIN, Bacitracin [Chemical/Ingredient], Bacitracin (substance), Bacitracin product (product), Bacitracin product, BAC, Bacitracin, Bacitracin, NOS, Bacitracin [dup] (substance)
Swedish Bacitracin
Czech bacitracin
Finnish Basitrasiini
Russian BATSITRATSIN, БАЦИТРАЦИН
Spanish bacitracina (producto), producto con bacitracina (producto), producto con bacitracina, bacitracina (sustancia), bacitracina, Bacitracina
Polish Bacytracyna
Japanese バシトラシン, アイフィビス
French Bacitracine
German Bacitracin
Italian Bacitracina
Portuguese Bacitracina