Background Mastitis poses significant challenges to the dairy industry, resulting in economic losses and increased veterinary expenses. Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of bovine mastitis, relying on efficient adhesion and biofilm formation for infection. Objectives This study aimed to employ meta-analysis to investigate the occurrence of adhesion and biofilm genes in S. aureus associated with bovine mastitis, as documented in previous studies. Methods This meta-analysis was done according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, examined 22 eligible articles and revealed varying prevalence rates of adhesion and biofilm genes in S. aureus isolates from bovine mastitis. Results Among the genes, clfB showed the highest prevalence (p-estimate = 0.905), followed by fnbA (p-estimate = 0.689) and fnbB (p-estimate = 0.502). The icaA and icaD genes also showed a relatively high prevalence (p-estimate = 0.694 and 0.814, respectively). Conversely, the biofilm-associated proteins gene had the lowest prevalence (p-estimate = 0.043). Subgroup analyses based on mastitis types and publication years revealed no significant differences in gene prevalence. Insufficient data hindered the analysis of fib, sasG , eno and bbp genes. Conclusion This study provides valuable insights for managing S. aureus-induced bovine mastitis. Additionally, larger-scale research, particularly on less-studied genes, is necessary to comprehend the molecular roles of adhesion and biofilm genes in S. aureus-induced bovine mastitis.
