Patent ID: 8592165

Claim:
A method for isolating a carbohydrate positive microorganism comprising a carbohydrate epitope of interest from a mixture of microorganisms, wherein the carbohydrate positive microorganism is capable of triggering a cellular immune response, comprising (a) bringing a carbohydrate binding molecule specific for the carbohydrate epitope of interest into contact with a mixture of microorganisms, (b) isolating at least one microorganism bound to said carbohydrate binding molecule from said mixture, (c) optionally testing that the isolated microorganism is a carbohydrate positive microorganism by testing the isolated microorganism for specific binding to said carbohydrate binding molecule, and (d) testing the induction of an effective carbohydrate specific cellular immune response against said carbohydrate epitope by said microorganism or a fraction or lysate thereof in vivo or in vitro, wherein step (d) comprises loading dendritic cells with said carbohydrate positive microorganism or fraction or lysate thereof and determining whether the carbohydrate epitope is presented by the dendritic cells, wherein presence of functional dendritic cells presenting the carbohydrate epitope is indicative for a carbohydrate microorganism capable of triggering a cellular immune response.