Genomic Sequencing of COVID-19 Patients and Determination of Genetic Predisposition and Clinical Prognosis via Bioinformatics Techniques

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Rapidly spreading across 188 different countries, the COVID-19 pandemic led to over 117 million cases and 2.6 million COVID-19-related deaths worldwide as of March 10, 2021. While the infection manifests with severe clinical outcomes in some patients, it presents as mild or moderate in others, or remains entirely asymptomatic. Extensive research is being conducted to identify genetic risk factors that may influence disease susceptibility and infection progression. Findings from these studies indicate that genetic variations contribute significantly to inter-individual variability in human immune responses. While it is established that these genetic variations can influence immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection, their specific roles in modulating immunity have yet to be fully elucidated. Comprehensive research efforts are essential to gain a fundamental understanding of the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms involved in innate/cytokine immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease outcomes. The insights derived from such research can facilitate the identification of high-risk groups for COVID-19 and the discovery of novel therapeutic options. This study aims to examine novel and specific variants in genes that may contribute to disease susceptibility in individuals who have contracted COVID-19, and to investigate their impact on gene regulation. Within this scope, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) will be conducted on blood samples collected from individuals with severe, moderate/mild COVID-19 cases, as well as from healthy subjects. Through the analysis of sequencing data, individuals at high or low risk based on genetic factors will be identified, thereby contributing to the globally required body of knowledge regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection.