First report of the emerging pathogenic yeast Candida palmioleophila in commercially relevant fish from southeastern Brazil

The emerging fungal pathogen <i>Candida palmioleophila</i> (<i>C. palmioleophila</i>) has been increasingly detected in environmental and animal samples, although studies in this regard are still scarce, especially in fisheries contexts. This study reports the first-time detection of <i>C. palmioleophila</i> in a commercially relevant fish species belonging to the Sciaenidae family (<i>Cynoscion</i> sp.), indicating its potential emergence as a pathogen in Brazil. We applied CHROMagar Candida Plus medium identification associated to Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for the identification of <i>C. palmioleophila</i> isolates. Although only one fish specimen was shown to be contaminated by <i>C. palmioleophila</i>, this study provides the first evidence of this yeast circulating in commercially relevant fish species in Brazil, highlighting the potential risks associated with this emerging pathogen.