The risk of infections, complications or death from COVID-19 Infection Include:
1. 10 times higher blood serum or plasma levels of mitochondrial DNA are associated with increased risk of icu admission, intubation and death. Associated with Necrosis and Netosis.
2. Poorly controlled Diabetes Mellitus (correlated to HgbA1c level /advanced glycosylation end products ?)
3. Hypertension (correlated to ACE2 receptor numbers, CAD, renal disease, or other more direct reasons for increased risk)
4. COPD (correlated with prior lung tissue damage ?)
5. Coronary Artery Disease (correlated with amount of atherosclerosis?)
6. Obesity (correlated with LDL-Cholesterol, large chain fatty acids, or other factors )
7. Renal Failure
8. Immune deficiencies with low CD4 T helper cells, Low neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio , low memory T cells, or low CD8 T cells. ie. AIDS, Cancer and on chemotherapy or radiation treatment, or Organ transplant and on immunosuppressives
9. Older than 65 years of age. (perhaps correlated to advanced gycosylation end products, nutritional status, or lower levels of regulatory T cells, with more susceptible to cytokine storm issues)
10. HLA B*46:01 correlates with severity of disease, viral load, and possibly increased transmission in SARS and maybe SARS-2 due to reduced presentation of potential viral epitopes. HLA B 45:01 is more prevalent in the Hispanic American population (22%) versus the Caucasian population 9 %. not sure about 46:01 Conversely HLA-B*15:03 may reduce severity of disease from increased Cytolytic T cell responses.
11. A segment on Chromosome 3 inherited from Neandertals is associated with more severe disease (segment has LZTF1 gene included which may be involved in ciliary transport control )
12. Symptoms of Myalgia, Headaches, High Fever, Chills, and Shortness of Breath correlate with more severe disease. Loss of smell or taste correlate with less severe disease.
13. Smokers have a decreased risk of infection but increased risk of death if infected.
14. CD14-159CC and FcγRIIA-RR131 are risk genotypes for severe SARS-CoV infection. (Effecting innate and humoral immunity)
15. Male genotype versus female genotype increases risk of severe disease in some age groups perhaps related to the Toll Receptor 7 gene on the X Chromosome.
16. ABO Genes and Blood type A is associated with a higher risk of contracting the SARS virus, whereas type O offers the most protection. This may be caused by anti-A antibodies in type O patients that block the virus from binding to the ACE-2 receptor
18. See COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative or another Covid-19 genetic study
19. Socio-Economic Risk Factors include : homelessness, living in congregate facilities, sex workers, healthcare workers, meat pack industry workers, grocery store clerks, frontline firemen, paramedics, and police officers.
20. Viral strain plays a role in is infectivity , pathogenicity, and transmissibility potential. The UK strain, South African Strain, Brazilian Strain, California Strain, and Michigan Strains have variability in their resistance to vaccines and prior infections. Strain mutation and evolution are pressured by innate immune systems as well as genetic risk factors for severe infectivity. The NSP3 gene along with Spike protein, and Nucleocapsid gene are hot spots for genetic change based on their respective innate, adaptive, and genetic susceptibility roles.
23. Neanderthal versions of DPP4, high expressing variants of TMPRSS2, highly-expressed TMEM1B gene common in East Asians, and genes controlling heparan glycosaminoglycan synthesis are all associated with severity or risk of infection.
24. Afucosylated IGG1 Fc is associated with increased severity of infection.
25. Low Avidity Antibodies are associated with severity of infection versus high avidity anti spike antibodies.
26. High spike versus N protein ratio of antibodies are associated with less severe infections while low ratios are associated with more severe infection.