Binational Border Infectious Disease Surveillance (BIDS): U.S.–Mexico Disease Detection

CDC's Binational Border Infectious Disease Surveillance (BIDS) program works with the U.S. southern border states to improve how infectious diseases are detected, reported and prevented on both sides of the border.

What it does

BIDS partners with the U.S.–Mexico Border Health Commission and the Naval Health Research Center to strengthen surveillance and control of diseases of binational importance — those affecting both countries, especially ones that can spread through travel between them. In line with the Global Health Security Agenda, its priorities include tuberculosis, vector-borne and foodborne diseases, influenza and other respiratory diseases, and antimicrobial-resistant infections.

Goals

• Improve binational surveillance in the border region, with better data and notification systems for tracking and responding to events.
• Develop strategies to control infectious diseases in the region.
• Strengthen joint preparedness and response through partnerships and the Operational Protocol for Binational Communication and Coordination on Disease Notifications and Outbreaks.

Support to states

CDC gives state health agencies guidance, coordination, resources and technical help for the border's diverse, fast-changing needs, with local health agencies and other partners involved. The state partners are the health departments of Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.

BIDS officers are based in each southern border state: San Diego and Imperial counties in California; Phoenix, Arizona; Doña Ana County, New Mexico; and, in Texas, El Paso County (Public Health Regions 9 and 10) and Maverick County (Region 8). CDC.

Surveillance

Partners tailor surveillance to local priorities and run special projects, such as:

• improving systems to identify binational cases and support contact investigations across the border;
• respiratory illness surveillance in border communities and among travelers;
• surveys at land ports of entry on travelers' movements and their knowledge, attitudes and practices around infectious disease;
• investigating binational contacts of people with reportable diseases.

Communication and preparedness

BIDS promotes systematic communication among partners about cases and outbreaks, including:

• the Technical Guidelines for United States–Mexico Coordination on Public Health Events of Mutual Interest;
• the Operational Protocol for binational notifications and outbreaks;
• an infectious disease prioritization for multijurisdictional work in the southern border region;
• preparedness exercises with Mexico to build partnerships and test communication channels.

History

U.S. and Mexican federal and border-state health authorities have worked together to detect and monitor infectious diseases along the border since 1999, and BIDS has evolved with changing epidemiologic and preparedness priorities. Its origins are described in a 2003 paper on establishing binational border surveillance.

Sources

Based on "Binational Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Program," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain.