Table 1.

PCR primers used and virulence factors (adapted from Matarante et al.2004)

Target gene	Primer name	Primer sequence (5′-3′)	Amplicon size (bp)	Reference
hbl – D/A	hblD-f	GGAGCGGTCGTTATTGTTGT	623	(Matarante et al. 2004)
	hblA-r	GCCGTATCTCCATTGTTCGT
nheB	nheB 1500 S	CTATCAGCACTTATGGCAG	769	(Matarante et al. 2004)
	nhe B 2269 A	ACTCCTAGCGGTGTTCC
bceT	ETF	TTACATTACCAGGACGTGCTT	428	(Matarante et al. 2004)
	ETR	TGTTTGTGATTGTAATTCAGG
entFM	EntA	ATGAAAAAAGTAATTTGCAGG	1269	(Matarante et al. 2004)
	EntB	TTAGTATGCTTTTGTGTAACC
sph	Ph1	CGTGCCGATTTAATTGGGGC	558	(Matarante et al. 2004)
	Ph2	CAATGTTTTAAACATGGATGCG
piplc	PC105	CGCTATCAATGGACCATGG	569	(Matarante et al. 2004)
	PC106	GGACTATTCCATGCTGTACC
pfkA*	pfkA-F	CCATCAGCTAAACCAGCC	370	This study
	pfkA-R	CGCGGTGGTACGAAATTA

* pfkA primer was designed using the NCBI Primer-Blast.