Described is a method for identification, isolation and production of hyperimmune serum-reactive antigens from a specific pathogen, a tumor, an allergen or a tissue or host prone to autoimmunity, said antigens being suited for use in a vaccine for a given type of animal or for humans, which is characterized by the following steps: - providing an antibody preparation from a plasma pool of said given type of animal or from a human plasma pool or individual sera with antibodies against said specific pathogen, tumor, allergen or tissue or host prone to auto-immunity, - providing at least one expression library of said specific pathogen, tumor, allergen or tissue or host prone to auto-immunity, - screening said at least one expression library with said antibody preparation, - identifying antigens which bind in said screening to antibodies in said antibody preparation, - screening the identified antigens with individual antibody preparations from individual sera from individuals with antibodies against said specific pathogen, tumor, allergen or tissue or host prone to auto-immunity, - identifying the hyperimmune serum-reactive antigen portion of said identified antigens and which hyperimmune serum-reactive antigens bind to a relevant portion of said individual antibody preparations from said individual sera and - optionally isolating said hyperimmune serum-reactive antigens and producing said hyperimmune serum-reactive antigens by chemical or recombinant methods.
