DNA from Beethoven's Hair Hints at what Killed the Composer

 DNA from Beethoven's Hair Hints at what Killed the Composer

    DNA from Beethoven's hair has been tested and they are helping to uncover his exact cause of death. Beethoven had health issues most of his life. He died on March 28, 1827, and historians suspect it was because of liver failure. The analysis of his hair has shown that he carried several genetic risk factors for liver disease. Since he had this elevated risk, paired with his bad habit of drinking and potential liver infection, he brought about his own premature death. His skin apparently turned yellow in the summer of 1821 and it's thought to be that his faulty liver is the reason why. 

    This article caught my eye because I knew Beethoven lived so long ago so I was wondering why there was an article on this now. It is fascinating to see that even 2 centuries later technology can be used to identify some hair off of such an important person. I was wondering how this worked but in the article, it said they used hairs that were preserved very well and still intact. They also said from the strands they were given they separated some as they did not belong to Beethoven. This is so interesting because it has been saved and passed along all this time and way for it to not even belong to Beethoven. It is truly impressive what today's technology can accomplish. 

LINKS: 

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/beethoven-hair-dna-composer-death

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dna-from-beethovens-hair-reveals-clues-about-his-death-180981870/#:~:text=The%20team%20sequenced%20two%2Dthirds,leading%20up%20to%20his%20death.

Hope for Patients with a Genetic Liver Disease

Science Daily published an article entitled “Liver Transplantation for Patients with Genetic Liver Conditions Has High Survival Rate, Study Finds” by Henrik Petrowsky, F. Charles Brunicardi, Voon Meng Leow, Robert S. Venick, Vatche Agopian, Fady M. Kaldas, Ali Zarrinpar, Daniela Markovic, Sue V. McDiarmid, Johnny C. Hong, Douglas G. Farmer, Jonathan R. Hiatt, and Ronald W. Busuttil. The article reviewed a study done on the survival rates of pediatric and adult recipients of liver transplants who had genetic liver disorders. These patients who suffered from a lethal genetic liver condition faced fibrosis, cirrhosis, and other life threatening conditions without the liver transplants. Both the pediatric and adult patients had high rates of survival at 5 and 20 years after liver transplant surgery. Although, a liver transplants cost over five hundred thousand dollars, it still will save a patient’s life.



I think this article is good news to those who are suffering from a genetic liver disease such as hemochromatosis which causes your body to absorb too much iron from the food you eat. The excess iron is stored in your organs, especially your liver, heart, and pancreas leading to life threatening conditions such as cancer, heart arrhythmias, and cirrhosis.

Article Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130405155830.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/liver-problems/DS01133