Objectives: Improvements in hygiene and the introduction of antibiotics have reduced the incidence of infectious diseases in industrialized countries, but humans now face the emergence of new infectious risks. The Nicolle survey, conducted by the National Institute for Prevention and Health Education and the Institute for Public Health Surveillance, aimed to explore the perceptions of the general public and physicians regarding infectious risks. More specifically, this survey sought to project these perceptions into the future by assessing the potential for controlling infectious diseases in France. One of the unique features of the Nicolle survey was its comparison of professional and lay knowledge, as similar questions were posed to both physicians and the general public. [author’s abstract]