Identification of metabolic biomarkers and pathways associated with

Introduction: Methods: An untargeted metabolomics approach employing comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOFMS) was conducted on dried blood spot (DBS) samples. Multivariate (PCA, PLS-DA) and univariate analyses were used to evaluate metabolic differences between infected and control groups. Result: A total of 655 metabolites were detected, with 98 showing significant variation between groups. Infected fish exhibited elevated levels of xenobiotics and altered carbohydrate metabolism, with key downregulated metabolites including D-mannose, arabinofuranose, and pento-3-ulose. Several fatty acids, such as oleic acid and pentadecanoic acid, were also significantly altered. Pathway analysis revealed that propanoate metabolism, galactose metabolism, inositol phosphate metabolism, and the TCA cycle were significantly impacted by Discussion: This study demonstrates that metabolomics, in combination with DBS sample collection, offers a promising non-destructive approach for detecting parasitic infections in fish. The findings contribute to the development of diagnostic tools for early detection and monitoring of