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Binational Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Program

At a glance

The Binational Border Infectious Disease Surveillance (BIDS) program works with U.S. states on the U.S.-Mexico border to improve binational detection, reporting, and prevention of infectious diseases.

BIDS program logo

About BIDS

The BIDS program is coordinated by CDC Division of Global Migration Health's (DGMH) Southern Border Health and Migration Branch. BIDS partners with the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission, an international leadership organization committed to improving health and quality of life along the U.S.-Mexico border. In alignment with the Global Health Security Agenda, BIDS projects address a wide range of priority diseases including COVID-19, influenza, tuberculosis, and vector-borne and foodborne diseases.

BIDS program goals

Funding recipients

CDC DGMH provides funding to state public health agencies to address unique epidemiologic and disease detection and control needs of the diverse and dynamic border region. Projects involve local health agencies and other key partners. CDC provides technical assistance to funding recipients and facilitates coordination with the Mexico Ministry of Health.

2020–2024 Funding Recipients:

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Map of the Unites States southern border states, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, and their border counties. BIDS officers are located in San Diego County and Imperial County in California; in Phoenix, Arizona; Doña Ana, New Mexico. Texas has three BIDS sites, located in three different public health regions: El Paso County in Public Health Region 9/10, Maverick County in Public health Region 8, and in Cameron County in Public Health Region 11.
BIDS Program officers are located in each southern border state.

BIDS activities

BIDS partners implement and enhance surveillance, communication, preparedness, and interventions to identify, report, and respond to binational disease cases and outbreaks.

Surveillance

BIDS partners tailor surveillance activities to local disease control priorities and may also conduct special projects to inform surveillance needs.

Examples include:

  • Enhancing surveillance systems to identify binational cases
  • Surveillance for respiratory illnesses, including influenza and COVID-19, in border communities and border-crossing populations
  • Conducting surveys at land ports of entry to understand border crossers' mobility patterns, knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to infectious diseases
  • Investigation of binational contacts for tuberculosis cases in Imperial County, California, and Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

Communication and Preparedness

The BIDS program promotes systematic communication among partners and preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks. These activities prepare BIDS partners to detect and respond to illnesses and events of binational significance.

Examples include:

BIDS past to present

U.S. and Mexican federal and border state health authorities have been collaborating since 1999 to detect and monitor infectious diseases along the U.S.-Mexico border. Since then, the BIDS program has evolved to address changing epidemiologic and preparedness priorities. To learn more about how BIDS started, read the U.S.-Mexico Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Project: Establishing Binational Border Surveillance (2003)

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)
  1. The U.S.-Mexico border region is made up of 44 counties across four U.S. states and 80 border municipios across six Mexican states within 100 km (62 miles) of the 2000-mile-long international border line.