Primers, annealing conditions and PCR combinations used in the present study.

Notes:1 Primer sets 1 to 4 were used in monoplex format to perform genus- (streptococcus, staphylococcus) or species (E. coli) -specific identification.2 Primer sets 5 to 14 were used in a 2-tube multiplex format for the identification of staphylococcal species. Sets 5 to 9 and 10 to 14 were used in two separate tubes for this purpose.3 Primer sets 15 to 17 were used in a 1-tube multiplex format for the identification streptococcal species.4 Duration of annealing was 30 s in all cases.5 alr: alanine racemase; gap: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; sod: superoxide dismutase; nuc: thermostable nuclease; pau: plasminogen activator; rpo: RNA polymerase; sip: surface immunoglobulin protein; tuf: elongation factor Tu.Primers, annealing conditions and PCR combinations used in the present study.