Table 1 Bacterial strains and their corresponding collection number used to test sensitivity and specificity of the different primer pairs

Actinobaculum schaalii

TSW25BA12^a

human, vagina

Actinomyces meyeri

PB2003/218-T1-6^a

human, vagina

Actinomyces naeslundii

CCUG 18310^T

human, sinus

Actinomyces neuii

TSW23BA4^a

human, vagina

Actinomyces odontolyticus

LMG 15953

human, drain after lung resection

Actinomyces turicensis

TSW24BA1^a

human, vagina

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

DSM 11123

human, subgingival dental plaque

Agrobacterium radiobacter

0106 0380^a

not recorded

Bacteroides fragilis

CCUG 4856^T, 03L2177^a

human, appendix abscess;

Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron

CCUG 34778

human, appendix

Fusobacterium nucleatum

CCUG 32989^T

human, cervico-facial lesion

Fusobacterium varium

DSM 19868^T

human, faeces

Parvimonas micros

CCUG 46357^T

human, purulent pleurisy

Peptostreptococcus anaerobius

FWOBV0180^a

not recorded

Porphyromonas gingivalis

CCUG 25893^T

human, gingival sulcus

Porphyromonas somerae

VMF0235S33

human, vagina

Prevotella melaninogenica

FWO BV0747^a

human, vagina

Prevotella bivia

FWO BV0913^a

human, vagina

Prevotella buccalis

FWO BV0754^a

human, vagina

Prevotella disiens

VMF 1000SRT31

human, vagina

Prevotella corporis

TSW04CA1^a

human, vagina

Prevotella intermedia

CCUG 24041^T

human, empyema

Streptococcus agalactiae

LMG 14694^T

bovine, milk

Streptococcus anginosus

LMG 14502^T

human, throat

Streptococcus mitis

LMG 14557^T

human, oral cavity

Streptococcus mutans

LMG 14558^T

human, carious dentine

Streptococcus oralis

LMG 14532^T

human, oral cavity

Streptococcus pneumoniae

LMG 14545^T

not recorded

Streptococcus pyogenes

LMG 14700^T

not recorded

Streptococcus sanguinis

LMG 14702^T

human, subacute bacterial endocarditis

Streptococcus salivarius

LMG 11489^T

human, blood

Streptococcus sobrinus

LMG14641^T

human, dental plaque

Tannerella forsythia

CCUG 21028A^T

Human, periodontal pocket

Treponema denticola

Oligo^b

not applicable