DNA Damage and Oxidative Stress in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Covid 19 group: Inclusion Criteria: * gender: female/male * age: ≥40 years * patients admitted at the emergency department * COVID-19 suspected patients * able to give written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * children (≤ 18 years) and adults 19-39 years * not hospitalized, but confirmed COVID-19 patients (outpatients) * patients without definitive COVID-19 confirmation Control group: Inclusion criteria: * gender: female/male * age: ≥40 years * absence of severe illnesses/serious diseases * able to give written informed consent Exclusion criteria: * children (≤ 18 years) and adults 19-39years * any current or past clinically significant pathology/disease (comorbidity) such as: * Malignancies * Cardiovascular diseases * Diabetes mellitus (I and II) * Obesity class III (BMI \>40) * Other severe diseases (e.g. renal, hepatic, thyroid disease, bone metabolic diseases, rheumatoid osteoarthritis, human immunodeficiency syndrome, …) Influenza group: Inclusion criteria: * gender: female/male * age: ≥40 years * patients admitted at the emergency department * influenza suspected patients * able to give written informed consent Exclusion criteria: * children (≤ 18 years) and adults 19-39 years * patients without definitive influenza confirmation