Hypothesizing the Genesis of Infectious Diseases and Epidemics Through an Integrated Systems Biology Approach

Inclusion Criteria:

• For all: (1) 18 years or over; (2) Patient or legal representative have providedinformed consent.

• Cases: Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmedsymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

• Controls :

1. Patient presenting with acute respiratory failure: (1) Patient presenting withhypoxemic respiratory failure diagnosed by the treating physician and influenzaproven as the cause of the respiratory failure; (2) active SARS-CoV-2 infectionexcluded by RT-PCR and deemed non-probable by the treating physician.

2. Healthy controls : (1) Patients presenting without acute respiratory failure (ie. SpO2 >93%); (2) no RT-PCR or antigen rapid test proven SARS-CoV-2infection within the last 6 months; (3) no active respiratory tract infection.

3. Dexamethasone controls: Patient presenting to the day hospital for an upper orlower limb surgery and who will receive dexamethasone in this context. Thecriteria for healthy controls also apply.

Exclusion Criteria:

• For all: (1) <18 years old ; (2)unwilling to provide informed consent; (3) pregnancyat the time of inclusion

• For cases: Asymptomatic infection

• For controls:

1. Active COVID-19 infection diagnosed by RT-PCR or suspect according to thetreating physician at the time of inclusion,

2. For healthy controls: Acute or chronic respiratory failure.

3. Patient currently receiving dexamethasone (i.e. before study inclusion). Thecriteria for healthy controls also apply.