3-MPA	3-mercaptopropionic acid
11-MUA	11-mercaptoundecanoic acid
AA	L-ascorbic acid
abs. EtOH	Absolute ethanol
AEF	Analytical enhancement factor
aF	Focal spot area
Ag	Silver
AgNO3	Silver nitrate
aNR	Area of each AuNR
aS	Total area of the spot
aTot	Total surface area
Au	Gold
AuNRs	Gold nanorods
BSA	Bovine serum albumin
dH2O	Deionized H2O
cSERS	Molar concentrations—SERS
cRS	Molar concentrations—Raman spectroscopy
CFU	Colony-forming unit
DTNB	5,5′-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid
EDC	N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride
E. coli	Escherichia coli K-12
FOV	Field of view
HAuCl4	Hydrogen tetrachloroaurate
IRS	Raman signal intensity
ISERS	SERS signal intensity
LSPR	Localized surface plasmon resonance
LSPW	Longitudinal surface plasmon wavelength
MALDI-TOF	Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight
MES buffer	2-(N-Morpholino)-ethane sulphonic acid
mNR	Calculated average weight
MS	Mass spectrometry
mTot	Total weight of gold used in AuNR synthesis
NA	Numerical aperture
NHS	N-hydroxysuccinimide sodium salt
NIR	Near infrared
NSurf	Average number of adsorbed molecules for the SERS measurement
NVol	Average number of molecules
PBS	Phosphate-buffered saline
PCR	Polymerase chain reaction
RT	Room temperature
RS	Raman spectroscopy
S. aureus	Staphylococcus aureus
S. marcescens	Serratia marcescens CCM 8587
SAM	Self-assembled monolayer
SERS	Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
SERS EF	SERS enhancement factor
STEM	Scanning transmission electron microscopy
TNB	2-nitro-5-mercaptbenzoic acid
TSPW	Transversal surface plasmon wavelength