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Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious complications. It remains one of the world’s major infectious diseases. It is a disease that has the potential to be eradicated globally and is the focus of elimination plans established in every region of the world and at the national level. High vaccination coverage is essential to interrupt the circulation of the virus and eliminate measles in different regions of the world.
Epidemiological Surveillance of Measles
Santé publique France has established a measles surveillance program based on mandatory reporting and a network of partners.
As the disease has become rarer, incidence estimates from the Sentinelles physician network have become less accurate, and this surveillance method no longer guaranteed the detection of clustered cases*; this is why measles was re-listed in 2005 on the list of notifiable diseases (formerly known as “reportable diseases”).
Mandatory reporting
Mandatory reporting involves collecting as comprehensive information as possible regarding all suspected or confirmed cases of certain diseases known as “reportable diseases” from laboratory technicians and physicians.
For clinicians, any case clinically suggestive of measles (clinical or confirmed) must be reported immediately to the Regional Health Agency (ARS) under whose jurisdiction they fall. Reports may be submitted by any means (phone, email, etc.) or using the mandatory measles reporting Cerfa form (this form is then sent to the ARS via any secure method) or via the reporting portal, which has provided access to electronic versions of Cerfa forms since April 22, 2026.
For laboratory professionals, all laboratory-confirmed measles cases must be reported to the ARS, in the same manner as for clinicians.
The report may be submitted even if not all fields are completed. The authorized health surveillance officer at the ARS will then contact the reporting professional to gather all necessary information for implementing individual and collective prevention measures.
Measles is indeed a disease that warrants urgent intervention. Reporting it is crucial for enabling the swiftest possible implementation of appropriate control measures or preventive actions and for quickly detecting clusters of cases or identifying a chain of transmission.
This involves, in addition to isolating the case, actively tracing close contacts (family members, children and adults in the same group at daycare or nursery, children and adults exposed at the home of a childminder when the case is cared for by one) or contacts who have shared the same premises in group settings (school, middle school, high school, workplace…), with particular focus on identifying individuals at risk of severe measles within the immediate circle (infants under one year of age, pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals) in order to offer appropriate preventive measures to susceptible individuals. Clinicians
are therefore advised to implement preventive measures within the family circle, and those responsible for health surveillance at the Regional Health Agency (ARS), in collaboration with physicians from the relevant departments, should identify non-family contacts and ensure that the necessary vaccinations have been offered, as well as a recommendation for immunoglobulins for at-risk contacts.
The transmission of detailed individual data also makes it possible to analyze and track the temporal and spatial trends of measles (changes in its incidence) and to characterize the affected populations in terms of sociodemographic factors, risk factors, and exposure, in order to better target local and national prevention and control efforts or to adapt vaccination strategies. They also allow for international comparisons and for measuring progress toward the elimination of the disease.
Reporting criteria and definition of reportable measles cases
| Reporting criteria: | Following reporting and the collection of data during notification, selected cases are classified according to the case definition below: |
|---|---|
Clinical Laboratory criteria | Clinical case: a case meeting the clinical criteria for which no laboratory testing was performed and which is not epidemiologically linked to another confirmed measles case, or for which laboratory results do not allow the diagnosis to be ruled out (e.g., a negative sample collected outside the recommended time frame). Biologically confirmed case: a patient who presented with clinical signs suggestive of measles and for whom one or more criteria for biological confirmation are present. Epidemiologically confirmed case: a case that meets the definition of a clinical case¹ and who had contact within 7 to 18 days before the onset of the rash with a confirmed measles case². |
Syndromic surveillance
Clinical suspicions of measles are also monitored as part of the SurSaUD® syndromic surveillance system (health surveillance of emergencies and deaths), established in 2004. This surveillance relies on several networks of professionals and includes four sources of information:
- data from hospital emergency departments participating in the OSCOUR® network (Organization for Coordinated Emergency Surveillance);
- data from SOS Médecins associations that are members of the SOS Médecins France Federation;
- mortality data from municipal civil registry offices transmitted electronically to INSEE;
- data from electronic death certificates.
Emergency room visits, hospitalizations following such visits, and consultations by SOS Médecins associations are analyzed on a weekly basis and published on the Agency’s website.
Virological surveillance
Virological surveillance and genetic typing of the measles virus help identify the circulating genotype, particularly during clusters of cases or for imported cases or those linked to an importation. This is carried out by the National Reference Center for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (Virology Laboratory at Caen University Hospital).
1In the case of clusters, a diagnosis can be made epidemiologically before all clinical signs are present.
2This case may be a biologically confirmed case or an epidemiologically confirmed case (a situation corresponding to a chain of transmission).
* Clusters are defined as the occurrence of two or more cases of measles, at least one of which has been biologically confirmed, within the same geographic area.
Measles Cerfa Form
Informing the Public About the Reporting of Notifiable Diseases
A network of partners
This surveillance program relies on several partners:
- Regional Health Agencies
Overview and contact information for the ARS: http://www.ars.sante.fr/Coordonnees-des-ARS.93676.0.html
- The National Reference Center (CNR) for Measles, Rubella, and Mumps Viruses
Overview and contact information: https://www.chu-caen.fr/centres/virus-rougeole-rubeole-oreillons/
- The Directorate General for Health (Ministry of Health): https://solidarites-sante.gouv.fr/
Measures to prevent measles
Santé publique France helps promote vaccination through various tools (website, promotional campaigns, brochures, etc.). The information website “Vaccination infoservice.fr” provides reliable, scientifically validated answers to questions the public and healthcare professionals may have about the various vaccines available in France.
A section dedicated to measles vaccination is available in two sections—one for the general public and the other for healthcare professionals—to better support them in their practice.
Santé publique France produces informational tools and documents for healthcare professionals and the general public to answer questions about vaccination. These documents are available under the TOOLS tab.
In relation to
Rubella
thematic dossier
Rubella is a viral infection that is usually mild but can, during pregnancy, lead to fetal death or congenital rubella syndrome. A vaccine is available to prevent infection.
Vaccination
thematic dossier
Contagious diseases most often affect children at a very young age. Because children are particularly vulnerable, they are a priority target for vaccination programs.
