Disclosed are immunogenic whole cell-protein conjugates containing a carrier protein and a whole cell having an exterior surface including a polyol antigen that is linked to the carrier protein through a linker. The linker can be covalent, or the linker can include an affinity pair. The covalent linker may be of formula: Z1-C(Z3)-N(H)-N(H)-(-C(O)-(L-C(O))n-N(H)-N(H)-)m-Z2, where Z1 is a bond to an oxygen atom in the polyol antigen, Z2 is a bond to a carbonyl group in the carrier protein, Z3 is O or NH, each of n and m is 0 or 1, and L, when present, is C2-6 alkanediyl or C6-10 arenediyl. Also disclosed are immunogenic whole-cell protein conjugates containing a carrier protein and a whole cell having an exterior surface including a polyol antigen that is covalently linked to the carrier protein through a linker formed by a reaction between a cyanate group bonded to the polyol antigen and a hydrazine-activated carrier protein. Further disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing the immunogenic whole cell-protein conjugates, methods of preparing immunogenic whole cell-protein conjugates, methods of preparing polyol antigen-protein conjugates via whole cell-protein conjugates, and methods of generating an immune response in a subject using the disclosed pharmaceutical compositions.Linvention concerne des conjugués immunogènes cellule entière – protéine contenant une protéine porteuse et une cellule entière dont la surface externe comprend un antigène polyol qui est lié à la protéine porteuse par lintermédiaire dun lieur. Le lieur peut être covalent, ou le lieur peut comprendre une paire daffinité. Le lieur covalent peut être de formule : Z1-C(Z3)-N(H)-N(H)-(-C(O)-(L-C(O))n-N(H)-N(H)-)m-Z2, où Z1 est une liaison à un atome doxygène de lantigène polyol, Z2 est une liaison à un groupe carbonyle de la protéine porteuse, Z3 est O ou NH, n et m sont chacun 0 ou 1, et L, lorsquil est présent, est un alkanediyl en C2-6 ou un arènediyl en C6-10. Linvention concerne égal
