NATURAL MICROORGANISMS WHICH ARE NATURALLY CAPABLE OF BINDING TOXINS AND/OR TOXIN RECEPTORS

摘要

The present invention relates to means and method for isolating naturally-occurring microorganisms (non-pathogenic bacteria, yeasts or fungi) capable of binding toxins from microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeasts, or protozoans and/or receptors for these toxins on the surface of mammalian cells, thereby making these receptors inaccessible for said toxins. The naturally-occurring microorganisms that are obtainable by the means and methods of the present invention can be used for adsorbing toxins from pathogenic microorganisms and/or blocking receptors for such toxins on the surface of mammalian cells. These toxin-receptor interactions are known to be critical for disease pathogenesis, making both the toxins and receptors a target for the naturally-occurring microorganisms of the present invention.