Beethoven, Infected with Hepatitis B, Inspired the “Beethoven Virus.”: Sequencing a high-coverage genome recovered from Ludwig van Beethoven’s locks of hair reveals his high genetic risk of liver disease, which may be aggravated by hepatitis B infection and alcohol consumption.

Abstract

Modern genomics has revealed that Beethoven was at risk for liver disease. Contracted with the hepatitis B virus, having high-risk alleles in PNPLA3 and HFE, and heavily drinking, Ludwig van Beethoven suffered from liver disease, which probably largely contributed to his demise. Beethoven's music greatly inspires human cultures, as exemplified by the K-drama and the arcade game music "Beethoven Virus." Together with other dramatic outcomes, the story built up by modern genomic analyses of DNA samples isolated from his locks of hair has made Beethoven's music even more viral than ever.