SODIUM FUSIDATE IS GIVEN AS TABLETS IN A USUAL ADULT DOSE OF 500 MG BY MOUTH EVERY 8 HOURS, ALTHOUGH THIS DOSE MAY BE DOUBLED IN SEVERE INFECTION. FOR CUTANEOUS STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTIONS, A DOSE OF 250 MG TWICE DAILY IS SUITABLE. DOSES OF FUSIDIC ACID SUSPENSION IN CHILDREN ARE: UP TO 1 YEAR, 50 MG/KG DAILY IN 3 DIVIDED DOSES; 1 TO 5 YEARS, 250 MG THREE TIMES DAILY; 5 TO 12 YEARS, 500 MG THREE TIMES DAILY. OLDER CHILDREN AND ADULTS MAY BE GIVEN 750 MG THREE TIMES DAILY.
IN SEVERE INFECTIONS IN ADULTS WEIGHING OVER 50 KG, SODIUM FUSIDATE 500 MG IS GIVEN THREE TIMES DAILY BY SLOW INTRAVENOUS INFUSION. EACH 500-MG DOSE IS USUALLY GIVEN AS A BUFFERED SOLUTION (PH 7.4 TO 7.6) DILUTED TO 500 ML WITH SODIUM CHLORIDE OR OTHER SUITABLE INTRAVENOUS SOLUTION. FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WEIGHING LESS THAN 50 KG, A DOSE OF 6 TO 7 MG/KG THREE TIMES DAILY IS USED. THE BNFC HAS SUGGESTED GIVING NEONATES UP TO 1 MONTH OF AGE 10 MG/KG EVERY 12 HOURS.
SODIUM FUSIDATE AS A 2% OINTMENT OR MEDICATED DRESSING, OR FUSIDIC ACID AS A 2% CREAM OR GEL, ARE USED IN THE LOCAL TREATMENT OF SKIN INFECTIONS. EYE DROPS CONTAINING FUSIDIC ACID 1% ARE USED IN EYE INFECTIONS. TOPICAL USE MAY LEAD TO PROBLEMS OF RESISTANCE.