it is not possible to make a "blind" diagnosis of a dermatological problem. i would need to examine your son which obviously i cannot. impetigo is a staph (strep) infection. mrsa is a specific type of staph infection. both can cause those symptoms and both would require a wound culture to make the diagnostic distinction. if he is worried about mrsa the culture is essential. bactrim and bactroban would treat staph infection but strep (one cause of impetigo) would not be improved by bactrim. send him to student health or an urgent care facility so he can be examined tested and treated.
my college student has swollen and oozing skin on forehead swollen lymph glands and headache. is it impetigo or mrsa? . my son is away at college and is a former wrestler. he believes he has impetigo which he had in the past. he started taking a refill of bactrim and is using muprocin. his glands are no longer swollen but woke up today with a very swollen forehead. his roommate had mrsa swelling of his hand 3 months ago and he is worried that it may be more than impetigo.