Formulations have been developed to treat or reduce the spread of respiratoryinfections, especially chronic or drug resistant infections, particularlytuberculosis (TB), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), meningococcalmeningitis, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and small pox.Formulations include a drug or vaccine in the form of a microparticle,nanoparticle, or aggregate of nanoparticles, and, optionally, a carrier, whichcan be delivered by inhalation. Giving the drugs via an inhaler sidesteps theproblems associated with oral or injectable drugs by bypassing the stomach andliver, and delivering the medication directly into the lungs. In oneembodiment, the particle containing the agent is a large porous aerosolparticle (LPPs). In another embodiment, the particles are nanoparticles, whichcan be administered as porous nanoparticle aggregates with micron diametersthat disperse into nanoparticles following administration. Optionally, thenanoparticles are coated, such as with a surfactant or protein coating. Theformulation may be administered as a powder or administered as a solution orvia an enteral or non-pulmonary parenteral route of administration. Theformulation is preferably administered as a pulmonary formulation. In thepreferred embodiment for treatment of TB, the vaccine is a BCG vaccine that isstable at room temperature, or is an antibiotic effective against TB, such ascapreomycin or PA-824, loaded at a very high percentage into themicroparticles or nanoparticles. In one embodiment, a patient is treated withformulations delivering both antibiotic and vaccine.
