United States-Mexico Public Health

Smiling girl and baby enjoying a health outreach event in the Mexican border state of Baja California. Photo credit: Maureen Fonseca-Ford, CDC.

The United States and Mexico share a dynamic history of strong social and economic ties. This is especially true for the border region between the countries.

The United States and Mexico are connected by a high volume of travelers who cross the border. Travelers arrive by foot, car, and plane. In 2011 alone, 153,706,850 people crossed the land border between the United States and Mexico. ¹ In addition, cargo shipments cross the border daily. This movement of people and cargo plays an important role in the health of communities in both countries.

Many people come and go from the United States and Mexico to live and work. As of 2010, nearly 11.7 million foreign-born residents from Mexico live in the United States, accounting for 29% of the 40 million foreign-born residents living in the United States. Among Mexican-born people worldwide, one in ten lives in the United States (2010).²

What health conditions are of concern for the United States and Mexico?

Vaccine-preventable infectious diseases such as rubella and pertussis (whooping cough)
Vector-borne diseases such as dengue and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas
Zoonotic diseases spread from animals to human such as rabies and brucellosis
Illnesses spread through food and water
Tuberculosis
HIV/AIDS
Pandemic influenza and other global health emergencies
Chronic health conditions

As a world leader in disease prevention and surveillance, CDC partners with health officials at the local, state, and binational levels to

Protect the health of United States and Mexico residents.
Improve and promote the health of travelers, migrants, and other mobile populations.
Prevent the spread of infectious diseases across borders.

Zika Virus and Mexico

What is CDC's role in the partnership between the United States and Mexico?

Collaborates with state and local public health agencies from the United States, Mexico, and other countries in the North American region.
Coordinates and participates in infectious disease preparedness and response activities at international land and air ports-of-entry to the United States.
Conducts border and binational infectious disease surveillance and outbreak investigations.