The system for notifiable diseases (MSO—formerly known as “mandatory reporting diseases”) covers 38 diseases and has the following objectives:

• for 33 diseases: urgent intervention to control and prevent their occurrence;
• for all 38 diseases: surveillance to assess and adapt public health policies to the needs of the population. 
• This system, initiated in the 19th century to prevent epidemic risks, has undergone regular updates to modify its scope (diseases subject to reporting), to improve confidentiality and the protection of the privacy of those concerned, or to facilitate the transmission of data by reporters to regional health agencies (ARS) and Santé publique France with the aim of facilitating the implementation of their public interest missions. 

What are the major advances in the MSO surveillance system?

• 2003: Inclusion of laboratory professionals in the system and the addition of HIV and hepatitis to the list of notifiable diseases, following extensive discussions with patient associations and the National Commission on Informatics and Civil Liberties (CNIL),
• 2015: Authorization by the CNIL of a system for the electronic reporting of HIV and AIDS infections, followed in 2019 by tuberculosis (e-DO system),
• 2022: Inclusion of data from mandatory reporting in the SNDS catalog,
• 2023: Establishment of a specific reporting system for COVID-19 with a data transmission requirement not based on a Cerfa form but, for laboratory professionals only, on a digital tool: LaboéSI,
• 2026: digitization of Cerfa forms for measles and arboviruses (chikungunya, dengue, Zika, West Nile) via the reporting portal.