Formulations have been developed for pulmonary delivery to treat or reduce theinfectivity of diseases such as viral infections, especially tuberculosis,SARS, influenza and respiratory synticial virus in humans and hoof and mouthdisease in animals. Formulations for pulmonary administration include amaterial that significantly alters physical properties such as surface tensionand surface elasticity of lung mucus lining fluid, which may be a surfactantand, optionally, a carrier. The formulation may be administered as a powderwhere the particles consist basically of the material altering surfacetension. The carrier may be a solution, such as an alcohol, although anaqueous solution may be utilized, or a material mixed with the materialaltering surface tension to form particles. These may include proteins such asalbumin or polysaccharides such as dextran, which also has surface activeproperties, or polymers such as polyethylene oxide (PEO) or biodegradablesynthetic polymers which can be used to encapsulate or deliver the materialsto be delivered. Drugs, especially antivirals or antibiotics, may optionallybe included with the formulation. These may be administered with orincorporated into the formulation.
