Ludwig van Beethoven became deaf at the age of 48. However, hearing loss is not the only health problem the famous composer has faced. Find out what an analysis of the pianist’s genome revealed by scientists at the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig
German scientists examined a surviving lock of Ludwig van Beethoven’s hairand then extracted a DNA sample from it. The analysis of the extracted genome allowed them to determine the probable ailments and diseases that the “last of the Viennese classics” had to deal with.
Beethoven was infected with the hepatitis B virus.
It turned out that the famous composer was infected with the hepatitis B virus and abused alcohol. This is indicated by biomarkers found in his curls. Both of the above factors may have contributed to the pianist’s premature death in 1827. Moreover, it was found that Beethoven, contrary to earlier predictions, did not poison himself with lead.
The question arises: what do the presented studies bring to modern medicine and knowledge about the functioning of the human body? A lot of. Above all they provide valuable information about the inheritance of various diseases and are a kind of basis for further analysis.. Interestingly, scientists have been able to verify the authenticity of Beethoven’s hair. It turned out that not all of the surviving samples attributed to the composer actually belonged to him.
HBV virus - what diseases does it cause?
HBV is transmitted sexually. It can also be contracted during the perinatal period or through contact with infected blood. This parasite is responsible for the development of hepatitis B. This disease initially does not give any characteristic symptoms. Therefore, it is often confused with the flu or a cold and underestimated. The most common symptoms:
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fatigue and general “collapse”,
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loss of appetite
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feeling of stretching in the right hypochondrium,
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muscle and joint pain,
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depressed.
Often, the disease is diagnosed only when there is a significant deterioration in the functioning of the body. The diagnostic process mainly uses elastography or fibroscan (non-invasive tests based on ultrasound). It should be noted that untreated viral hepatitis often leads to the formation of tumor changes inside the organ. Vaccination plays a key role in preventing HBV infection.
Sources:
- gizmodo.com,
- Klamann J., Smyatach T., “Diagnosis of viral hepatitis in the practice of a general practitioner”, Forum Medycyny Rodzinnej, 2/2016
Source: Wprost
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