[Investigation of hospital epidemics and guidelines for the management of suspected cases of measles and invasive meningococcal disease].

Outbreaks of infectious diseases within healthcare institutions must be detected early and controlled. Hospitals should develop a plan for coordinating all hospital components to respond to these critical situations. The knowledge of the different steps in an outbreak investigation can help identify the source of ongoing outbreaks and prevent additional cases. Outbreak investigation is based on a multidisciplinary approach and is an opportunity for research, training and program considerations. © Société de réanimation de langue française (SRLF) and Springer-Verlag France 2011.