Recommended antibiotic regimens to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (from Health Protection Agency guidance19
| Infection | *Antibiotic6 | Adult dosage | Duration |
| Minor furunculosis, folliculitis and small abscesses without cellulitis | NO antibiotics; perform incision and drainage if necessary | ||
| Other non-suppurative very minor skin and soft tissue infections. | Mupirocin | Topically three times a day | 5 days |
| Moderate skin and soft tissue infection; treat empirically with two agents and then be guided by antibiotic susceptibility results | Rifampicin | 300 mg twice a day | 5–7 days |
| PLUS doxycycline (not children) | 100 mg twice a day | ||
| or sodium fusidate | 500 mg three times a day | ||
| or trimethoprim | 200 mg twice a day | ||
| OR clindamycin alone | 450 mg four times a day | ||
| On advice of microbiologist/hospital | Third line: linezolid | 600 mg twice a day | |
| Severe skin and soft tissue infection with systemic symptoms or pneumonia | Refer immediately | ||