Adult and adolescent (=>12 years of age) subjects will receive one 600mg linezolid tablet (overencapsulated), or one placebo capsule, twice daily for 10 days. Pediatric subjects aged 5-11 years will receive 10mg/kg body weight of a 100mg/5mL oral linezolid suspension, or placebo suspension, twice daily for 10 days. Pediatric subjects <5 years of age will receive 10mg/kg of a 100mg/5mL oral linezolid suspension, or placebo suspension, three times daily for 10 days.

Follow-up is defined as 7-9 days post-therapy: Day 12-14 for retapamulin; Day 17-19 for linezolid. Clinical success at follow-up was defined as the resolution of clinically meaningful signs and symptoms of infection recorded at baseline, including a pus/exudate skin infection rating scale (SIRS) score of "0." The SIRS is used by the investigator to evaluate infected lesions. Scores on the SIRS range from 0 (absent) to 6 (severe).

MR was defined as microbiological success if, (1) for participants (par.) whose clinical outcome at end of therapy (EOT) was "clinical success (CS)/improvement," the BP was eradicated/presumed to be eradicated at EOT, or the BP was present at EOT and absent at FU, or the BP was eradicated/presumed to be eradicated at EOT, or the BP was present at EOT and par. was a "CS" such that no culture was obtained due to lack of culturable material secondary to adequate clinical response; or (2) a pathogen not previously identified at baseline was isolated at FU in a par. identified at FU as a "CS."

Clinical improvement is defined as improvement of signs/symptoms of infection recorded at baseline (BL) to such an extent that no further antimicrobial therapy is necessary. Clinical failure (CF) is defined as insufficient improvement/deterioration of signs/symptoms of the infection recorded at BL, such that additional antibiotic therapy is required. Unable to determine (UTD) is defined as refusal to consent to a clinical examination, lost to follow-up. Participants who are "CF"/"Unable to Determine" at end of therapy are considered such at follow-up as well.

Eradication is the elimination of BL pathogens. Presumed eradication and presumed improvement are clinical outcomes of success or improvement, respectively, such that no culture was obtained due to lack of culturable material, secondary to adequate clinical response, and is documented in the electronic Case Report Form. Persistence is defined as BL pathogens still being present. Presumed persistence is defined as a participant that is a clinical failure with no obtained culture. "Unable to determine" was used if no determination of BL pathogen microbiological response could be made.

Clinical improvement is defined as improvement of signs/symptoms of infection recorded at baseline (BL) to such an extent that no further antimicrobial therapy is necessary. Clinical failure (CF) is defined as insufficient improvement/deterioration of signs/symptoms of the infection recorded at BL, such that additional antibiotic therapy is required. Unable to determine (UTD) is defined as refusal to consent to a clinical examination, lost to follow-up. Participants who are "CF"/"Unable to Determine" at end of therapy are considered such at follow-up as well.

Eradication is the elimination of BL pathogens. Presumed eradication and presumed improvement are clinical outcomes of success or improvement, respectively, such that no culture was obtained due to lack of culturable material, secondary to adequate clinical response, and is documented in the electronic Case Report Form. Persistence is defined as BL pathogens still being present. Presumed persistence is defined as a participant that is a clinical failure with no obtained culture. "Unable to determine" was used if no determination of BL pathogen microbiological response could be made.

Therapeutic response is defined as the combined clinical and microbiological response. Therapeutic response iss a measure of the overall efficacy response, and a therapeutic success refers to participants who had been deemed both a "clinical success" and a "microbiological success." All other combinations (other than "clinical success" + "microbiological success") were deemed failures for therapeutic response.

The investigator evaluated skin infections by grading the infected lesion for exudate (a fluid that leaks out of blood vessels into surrounding tissue)/pus, crusting, erythema (redness of the skin)/ inflammation (E/I), tissue warmth, tissue edema (swelling), itching, and pain, according to the Skin Infection Rating Scale. All parameters were graded on a scale of 0 (absent) to 6 (severe). The total score is calculated by summing the individual scores from the 7 parameters; the total score ranges from 0 to 42.

Lesion sized was measured in centimeters squared at Visits 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

For additional information about this study please refer to the GSK Clinical Study Register

For additional information about this study please refer to the GSK Clinical Study Register

For additional information about this study please refer to the GSK Clinical Study Register

For additional information about this study please refer to the GSK Clinical Study Register

For additional information about this study please refer to the GSK Clinical Study Register

For additional information about this study please refer to the GSK Clinical Study Register

Linezolid was to be dosed, depending on participant age, either BID or TID for 10 days. Adolescent and adult participants (>=12 years of age) were dosed BID with 600 mg tablets for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were 5-11 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg BID for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were <5 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg TID for 10 days. Placebo ointment was administered topically BID for 5 days.

Linezolid was to be dosed, depending on participant age, either BID or TID for 10 days. Adolescent and adult participants (>=12 years of age) were dosed BID with 600 mg tablets for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were 5-11 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg BID for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were <5 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg TID for 10 days. Placebo ointment was administered topically BID for 5 days.

Linezolid was to be dosed, depending on participant age, either BID or TID for 10 days. Adolescent and adult participants (>=12 years of age) were dosed BID with 600 mg tablets for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were 5-11 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg BID for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were <5 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg TID for 10 days. Placebo ointment was administered topically BID for 5 days.

Linezolid was to be dosed, depending on participant age, either BID or TID for 10 days. Adolescent and adult participants (>=12 years of age) were dosed BID with 600 mg tablets for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were 5-11 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg BID for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were <5 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg TID for 10 days. Placebo ointment was administered topically BID for 5 days.

Linezolid was to be dosed, depending on participant age, either BID or TID for 10 days. Adolescent and adult participants (>=12 years of age) were dosed BID with 600 mg tablets for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were 5-11 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg BID for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were <5 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg TID for 10 days. Placebo ointment was administered topically BID for 5 days.

Linezolid was to be dosed, depending on participant age, either BID or TID for 10 days. Adolescent and adult participants (>=12 years of age) were dosed BID with 600 mg tablets for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were 5-11 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg BID for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were <5 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg TID for 10 days. Placebo ointment was administered topically BID for 5 days.

Linezolid was to be dosed, depending on participant age, either BID or TID for 10 days. Adolescent and adult participants (>=12 years of age) were dosed BID with 600 mg tablets for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were 5-11 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg BID for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were <5 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg TID for 10 days. Placebo ointment was administered topically BID for 5 days.

Linezolid was to be dosed, depending on participant age, either BID or TID for 10 days. Adolescent and adult participants (&gt;=12 years of age) were dosed BID with 600 mg tablets for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were 5-11 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg BID for 10 days. Pediatric participants who were &lt;5 years of age were dosed with a 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension at a dose of 10 mg/kg TID for 10 days. Placebo ointment was administered topically BID for 5 days.