Best treatments for staphylococcal infections
34 products may treat staphylococcal infections, spanning FDA drug classes such as aminoglycoside antibacterial, lincosamide antibacterial, rifamycin antibacterial. The current highest-rated option is dalvance. Ranked below by our independent recall-safety rating (rated where FDA data exists) — not medical advice; always consult a professional.
Quick answer: Of the 34 drugs we list for staphylococcal infections, 23 are available as lower-cost generics, spanning classes such as aminoglycoside antibacterial, lincosamide antibacterial, rifamycin antibacterial. They’re ranked by each drug’s FDA recall-safety record — not clinical effectiveness for staphylococcal infections — so confirm the right choice with your prescriber.
Understanding staphylococcal infections
Staphylococcus (staph) is a group of bacteria with more than 30 types; a type called Staphylococcus aureus causes most infections (MedlinePlus). The bacterium is commonly carried in the nose and on the skin of about 30% of people (CDC). Skin infections are the most common form and can look like pimples or boils; they may be red, swollen, and painful, sometimes with pus or other drainage (MedlinePlus, CDC). Staph can also cause more serious illness, including a bloodstream infection (bacteremia), which can lead to sepsis, as well as bone infections, endocarditis (an infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves), pneumonia, food poisoning, and toxic shock syndrome (MedlinePlus). Some staph infections, such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), are resistant to many antibiotics (MedlinePlus). To diagnose, a provider does a physical exam, asks about symptoms, and may order a culture using a skin scraping, tissue sample, stool sample, or throat or nasal swabs (MedlinePlus). Treatment is antibiotics; an infected wound may be drained, and bone infections sometimes require surgery (MedlinePlus). This is general information, not medical advice.
First-line treatment
The first-line approach depends on the type of infection. Per the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) 2011 MRSA guideline (as summarized in American Family Physician), simple abscesses or boils may be managed with incision and drainage alone, and antibiotics are added for features such as severe or rapidly progressing disease, signs of systemic illness, associated comorbidities or immunosuppression, very young or very old age, abscesses in areas difficult to drain, or failure to respond to drainage. For outpatient community-associated MRSA skin and soft-tissue infections, oral options the guideline lists include clindamycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline, minocycline, and linezolid. For serious or complicated MRSA infection, intravenous vancomycin is recommended. The treating clinician individualizes drug choice, route, and duration based on the infection site, severity, culture and susceptibility results, and the individual patient.
Top-rated picks for staphylococcal infections: 1. Dalvance · 2. Sivextro · 3. Teflaro
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Class | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 72/100 | Prescription | Injectable | — | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | 72/100 | Prescription | Injectable | — | No data | — | View → | |
| 3 | 72/100 | Prescription | Solution | — | No data | — | View → | |
| 4 | 70/100 | Prescription | Solution | Aminoglycoside Antibacterial | Generic | $1 | View → | |
| 5 | 70/100 | Prescription | Topical | Lincosamide Antibacterial | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 6 | 70/100 | Prescription | Injectable | Rifamycin Antibacterial | Generic | $21 | View → | |
| 7 | 70/100 | Prescription | Solution | Aminoglycoside Antibacterial | Generic | $1 | View → | |
| 8 | 70/100 | Prescription | Capsule | Aminoglycoside Antibacterial | Generic | $1 | View → | |
| 9 | 70/100 | Prescription | Topical | Lincosamide Antibacterial | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 10 | 68/100 | Prescription | Topical | Aminoglycoside Antibacterial | Generic | $1 | View → |
Narrow by drug class
Explore the class hubs: lincosamide antibacterial · aminoglycoside antibacterial · rifamycin antibacterial · cephalosporin antibacterial · penicillin-class antibacterial
Full ranking · 34 treatments
dalvance
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Dalvance (Dalbavancin Hydrochloride) is a medication used to treat Infectious Skin Diseases, Staphylococcal Infections, Streptococcal Infections.
Price varies
sivextro
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Sivextro (Tedizolid Phosphate) is a medication used to treat Staphylococcal Infections, Streptococcal Infections, Bacterial Skin Diseases.
Price varies
teflaro
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Teflaro (Ceftaroline Fosamil) is a medication used to treat Escherichia Coli Infections, Klebsiella Infections, Pneumonia, Infectious Skin Diseases.
Price varies
bethkis
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Bethkis (Tobramycin) is an aminoglycoside antibacterial used to treat Infectious Bone Diseases, Central Nervous System Infections, Pseudomonas Infections, Respiratory Tract Infections.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.65· 4 forms
clindesse
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Clindesse (Clindamycin Phosphate) is a lincosamide antibacterial used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Actinomycetales Infections, Bacteroides Infections, Pneumocystis Pneumonia.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.11· 6 forms
rifadin
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Rifadin (Rifampin) is a rifamycin antibacterial used to treat Brucellosis, Haemophilus Infections, Legionnaires' Disease, Leprosy.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$18.76/30· 2 forms- Tobi
- Tobi Podhaler
- Xaciato
- Tobrex
- Rifampin
- Cleocin
- Cleocin Hydrochloride
- Cleocin T
- Zyvox
- Cleocin Phosphate
- Bactocill in Plastic Container
- Betadine
- Cefazolin and Dextrose
- Cefazolin Sodium
- Clindagel
- Clindamycin Hydrochloride
- Clindamycin Phosphate
- Hiprex
- Kimyrsa
- Kitabis Pak
- Lincomycin Hydrochloride
- Nallpen in Plastic Container
- Povidone Iodine
- Rimactane
- Tobramycin
- Urex
- Vibativ
- Zevtera
Frequently asked
- What treats staphylococcal infections?
- Our catalog lists 34 products that may treat staphylococcal infections, based on NIH RxClass (MED-RT “may treat”) drug-classification data — not the verbatim FDA label. They're rated where FDA recall-safety data exists; the current top-rated option is dalvance.
- What is the best-rated treatment for staphylococcal infections?
- By our independent recall-safety rating — not an efficacy measure — dalvance ranks highest among the products we list for staphylococcal infections. Always consult a professional.
- How are these treatments ranked?
- By our independent score, currently based on FDA regulatory recall-safety data (the methodology blends additional sources as they come online). See the How we rate page.
- What types of drugs treat staphylococcal infections?
- Treatments for staphylococcal infections span FDA drug classes including aminoglycoside antibacterial, lincosamide antibacterial, rifamycin antibacterial, oxazolidinone antibacterial, penicillin-class antibacterial. Compare every option side by side, ranked by independent rating, above.
Treatment associations are derived from NIH RxClass (MED-RT “may treat”) drug-classification data — not the verbatim FDA label. This is general reference, not medical advice — always consult a licensed professional.
Sources
The clinical overview above is written from these authoritative public-health and medical-society sources, independently reviewed against each.
- Staphylococcal Infections | MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine ↗
- About Staphylococcus aureus | U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ↗
- Staph infections - self-care at home | MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine ↗
- Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America for the Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Adults and Children (2011) | Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) ↗
- IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment of MRSA Infections in Adults and Children (summary) | American Family Physician (AAFP) ↗