DNA studies carried out on 8 strands of hair, which were kept as a memento by the fans of the German pianist and composer Ludwig van Beethoven, revealed new data regarding the death of the famous composer who was born in Germany in 1770.
As a result of the genomic data obtained by the research group from Cambridge University, it was revealed that the pianist, who was known to have died from cirrhosis, was genetically predisposed to liver disease and caught hepatitis B months before his death.
Tristan Begg, the lead author of the group that penned the study, stated that genetic factors may have triggered liver disease, along with the famous composer’s consumption of too much alcohol.
In addition, in the statement, it was determined that Beethoven had digestive system problems with the genomic data obtained.
It was stated that the digestive problems experienced by Beethoven, one of the most important names in classical music, were not caused by celiac disease or lactose sensitivity.
The cause of the hearing loss could not be determined
In the research, the exact cause of Beethoven’s hearing loss, who started to experience hearing loss in his mid-20s and completely lost his hearing until 1818, could not be determined.
Johannes Krause, from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, stated that it is impossible to say the exact cause of Beethoven’s death in his statement regarding the study, and said, “However, at this stage, we can confirm that there are serious hereditary risks and that he is Hepatitis B.”
Beethoven died in Vienna in 1827.