Methods for Improving Respiratory System Health and Increasing the Concentration of Hypothiocyanate Ion in Vertbrate Lungs

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and devices to improve respiratory system health, increase resistance to infection, and increase the hypothiocyanate ion in mammalian lungs. The methods generally comprise: generating a Hydrogen Peroxide Gas that is non-hydrated and free of ozone, and directing the gas comprising primarily Hydrogen Peroxide Gas into an environment and exposing a subject to the environment such that the Hydrogen Peroxide Gas acts to the increase of the hypothiocyanate ion in mammalian lungs.

1 . An enclosed space for human or veterinary use, said enclosed space comprising purified hydrogen peroxide gas (PHPG) at a concentration of at least 0.01 parts per million wherein said PHPG is non-hydrated and free of ozone. 
     
     
         2 . The enclosed space of  claim 1 , wherein said space is a dwelling. 
     
     
         3 . The enclosed space of  claim 1 , wherein said purified hydrogen peroxide gas (PHPG) is introduced from an indoor air recirculation stream. 
     
     
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         9 . A method for treating a respiratory illness in a subject comprising:
 providing an environment comprising a purified hydrogen peroxide gas (PHPG) that is substantially free of hydration and ozone at a final concentration of at least 0.01 parts per million (ppm); and   exposing said subject to said environment for at least one period of time, wherein said treating comprises reducing the severity of a respiratory infection, reducing the duration of a respiratory infection, reducing the severity of an allergy, preventing transmission of a respiratory infection, reducing transmission of a respiratory infection in a population, improving lung function, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said improving lung function comprises increasing static lung volume, increasing total lung capacity, increasing the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood gases, decreasing residual volume, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said lung function is measured using spirometry. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said environment is an enclosed space. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said period of time is at least 15, at least 30, at least 60, at least 90, at least 120, at least 180, at least 240, at least 300, at least 360, at least 420, or at least 480 consecutive minutes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said period time is at least 15, at least 30, at least 60, at least 90, or at least 120 minutes over a 24 hour, or 48 hour period. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said period time is at least 8, at least 16 or at least 24 hours over a 7 day period. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the total time of exposure is at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more hours. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said exposing is repeated 1, 2, 3, or more times daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said environment comprises PHPG at a final concentration of at least 0.1 ppm, at least 0.2 ppm, at least 0.3 ppm, at least 0.4 ppm, at least 0.5 ppm, or at least 1.0 ppm. 
     
     
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         22 . A method for controlling a pathogen in the respiratory system of a subject comprising:
 generating a purified hydrogen peroxide gas (PHPG) that is substantially free of hydration and ozone to an environment, wherein said environment accumulates said PHPG at a final concentration of at least 0.01 parts per million, and   exposing said subject to said PHPG containing environment for a period of time.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said pathogen is selected from the group consisting of a virus, a bacterium, a fungus, and a parasite. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said respiratory system comprises one or more of the trachea, the bronchi, the conducting bronchioles, the respiratory bronchioles, the alveolar sac, the oral cavity, and the nasopharyngeal cavity. 
     
     
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         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said fungus is selected from the group consisting of  Histoplasma capsulatum, blastomyces, Cryptococcus neoformans, Pneumocystis jiroveci, Coccidioides immitis, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Pneumocystis jirovecii, Sporothrix schenckii, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus , and  Candida albicans.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said virus is a double stranded DNA virus, a single-stranded DNA virus, a double-stranded RNA virus, a positive sense single-stranded RNA virus, a negative sense single-stranded RNA virus, a single stranded RNA retrovirus, or a double-stranded DNA retrovirus. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said bacterium is  Acinetobacter baumannii, Mycoplasma, Pneumococcus, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus  species, or  Staphylococcus aureus.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said parasite is a protozoan, a nematode, or a trematode. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said parasite is selected from the group consisting of  Toxoplasma gondii, Strongyloides stercoralis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Plasmodium malariae, Echinococcus granulosus, Dirofilaria immitis, Paragonimus westermani, Entamoeba histolytica, Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Necator americanus, Toxocara canis, Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosomahaematobiu, Schistosoma japonicum, Strongyloides stercoralis, Wuchereria bancrofti , and  Brugia malayi.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said subject is selected from the group consisting of a human, a laboratory animal, a house-pet, or a livestock animal. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said livestock animal is selected from the group consisting of cattle, a horse, a sheep, a goat, a pig, a chicken, a duck, a goose, an alpaca, a banteng, a bison, a camel, a deer, a donkey, a llama, a rabbit, a reindeer, or a yak. 
     
     
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         35 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said controlling comprises preventing infection of a subject by said pathogen; preventing the transmission of said pathogen from a subject to a second subject, decreasing the number of pathogen infected subjects in a population, reducing the number or severity of the symptoms of infection with said pathogen, decreasing the length of time a subject is infected with said pathogen, decreasing the number of sick days taken by a subject infected with said pathogen, or decreasing the use of over-the-counter medication by a subject. 
     
     
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