diseases. Development of a surveillance system using
geographic information system (GIs) emphasized the need to
increase public participation in surveillance, the type of data
and format to be employed in surveillance, the expected
productshnformation and functionalities of the system.
Specifications of the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control (CDC)
National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS)
[l] were used as a starting point and extended to
accommodate the diseases common to the Texas-Mexico
Border and include critical geospatial components in the
system.
11