In light of the isolation of the first Staphylococcus aureus resistant to vancomycin in Latin America, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) recommends that Member States continue to establish and maintain their capacity for rapid detection and reporting of this resistance mechanism to antibiotics for the implementation of infection prevention and control measures associated with health care.

From 1 January to 28 July 2004, there have been reports from Montevideo on a strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus of community origin that has affected 417 people, among which 80% were topical infections where the patients were treated on an ambulatory basis.