Epidemiological surveillance of land borders in North and South America: a case study

Bruniera-Oliveira, Robson; Horta, Marco Aurélio Pereira; Varan, Aiden; Montiel, Sonia; Carmo, Eduardo Hage; Waterman, Stephen H; Verani, José Fernando de Souza

However, as observed in this study (particularly in South America), findings show that it lacks certain protocols. These protocols, as observed at the U.S.-MX border, define the actions and communication flows between public health agencies involved with binational notifications and may support adequate responses to the occurrence of public health events. Wang et al. 30 , studying vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) outbreaks, noted that surveillance based on solid international collaboration and agreements with clear and well-defined paths allows for an exchange of information in a timely and dynamic manner. The contribution of such agreements was critical to avoid the VDPV outbreaks from reaching China through its land borders. The inadequacy of many surveillance indicators (lack of opportunity for the exchange of epidemiological information, quality of the epidemiological information, reciprocity, feedback, and incompleteness of information) may be related to the informality of the BES operational articulation.