Staphylococcus aureus, a highly adaptable pathogen, has the capacity to cause a broad spectrum of infections, ranging from minor skin issues to severe and life-threatening invasive diseases. The pathogenic nature of S. aureus can be attributed to its production of various virulence factors, including proteins associated with adhesion and biofilm formation. In this particular study, we conducted an extensive network meta-analysis to investigate the prevalence of adhesion and biofilm-related genes within S. aureus isolates. Additionally, we explored how the source of the isolate affected the occurrence of these genes. A total of 53 relevant studies were included in our analysis. Among the genes studied, clfB showed the highest prevalence (p-estimate = 85.4, CI95% 78-90.6), followed by eno (p- estimate = 81.1, CI95% 61.7-91.9), and icaD (p-estimate = 77, CI95% 68.6-83.6). On the other hand, bap and bbp genes displayed the lowest prevalence rates (p-estimate = 6.7 and 18.7, respectively). We also observed that the gene pairs icaA-icaD (30 times) and fnbA-fnbB (25 times) were the most frequently co-studied. Intriguingly, the subgroup analysis demonstrated that the occurrence of icaC and icaB genes was significantly lower in animal isolates when compared to human and food isolates (p < 0.05). However, it is essential to note that there was a limited amount of data available for the analysis of sasG, bbp, bap, eno, and fib genes. Through our study, we have uncovered varying prevalence rates of adhesion and biofilm- related genes in S. aureus isolates. These findings contribute significantly to our understanding of S. aureus pathogenesis and can play a crucial role in the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies for S. aureus infections.
