Further, the sej, sed and ser genes were associated with subclinical mastitis and abscess cases; the seq and sek genes with skin infections; lukF-PV and lukS-PV with subclinical mastitis, skin, and pus infections; lukD and lukE with abscesses and skin infections; splA and splB with abscesses; and the lukD, lukE splA and splB genes with pus isolates (Supplementary Material 4). Here, EPHA4 is linked to skin infection.