[Acromegaly in elderly people]. / Acromégalie du sujet âgé.

Acromegaly is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular complications are the major predictors of mortality. Age and duration of symptoms are the major determinants of acromegalic cardiopathy. Successful control of acromegaly reverse cardiovascular abnormalities. Herein, we review clinical, biological and histopathological findings in elderly people. Treatments and side effects in relation with aging are questioned.

Cross-protection test of an avian poxvirus isolated from houbara bustards.

An avian poxvirus was isolated previously from the houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata). We carried out a cross-protection test on 66 captive-bred canaries. Thirty-five canaries were vaccinated with a commercial canary poxvirus (CP) vaccine. Three weeks later all 66 birds were assigned randomly to six different groups: group Ia (n = 14) was vaccinated and challenged with houbara bustard poxvirus (HP) strain; group Ib (n = 13) was vaccinated and challenged with a CP strain; group Ic (n = 7) was vaccinated and not inoculated; group IIa (n = 14) was nonvaccinated and challenged with HP strain; group IIb (n = 11) was nonvaccinated and challenged with a CP strain; and group IIc (n = 7) was not vaccinated and not challenged. Vaccinated groups (Ia, Ib, Ic) had no losses and remained healthy. All of the birds (100%) in group IIb died within 10 days, and 10 birds (71.4%) of group IIa died within 20 days. The nonvaccinated control group (IIc) remained healthy. Poxvirus was isolated from the liver, digestive tract, lungs, and inoculation lesions of nonvaccinated dead CP- and HP-challenged birds. Secondary bacterial infections were higher among nonvaccinated HP-challenged birds (85.7%) than in nonvaccinated CP-challenged birds (25%). The results of this experiment reveal a degree of immunogenic relatedness between CP and HP strain and support the recommendation that houbara bustards be vaccinated with a CP vaccine.