A Belgian man suffering from auto-brewery syndrome (ABS), a condition that causes his body to naturally produce alcohol, has been cleared of drunk-driving charges. According to his lawyer, Anse Ghesquiere, only 20 people worldwide have been officially diagnosed with ABS.
ABS, also referred to as gut fermentation syndrome, is a rare condition first documented in Japan in the 1970s. It is caused by unusually high levels of yeast in the stomach. The yeast is thought to set up colonies after an infection.
Individuals with ABS produce the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. While they may feel less intoxicated than others, they can still present with symptoms of drunkenness, such as slurred speech, stumbling, and loss of motor functions.
This rare condition can lead to failed breathalyser tests and legal consequences for sufferers. However, in this case, the Bruges police court acquitted the man, emphasizing that he was not intoxicated at the time of his arrest.
In 2015, a similar case occurred in the United States, where a woman’s drunk-driving charges were dismissed after she was found to have ABS.
