A 40-year-old man who appeared before a Belgian court for repeated drunk driving was released this Monday (04/22/2024), after proving that he suffers from a very unusual syndrome known as “autobrewery”. His lawyer, Anse Ghesquiere, confirmed to AFP the information published in the Belgian press.
“Autobrewery” syndrome
Known as “auto-brewery” syndrome, this condition causes the production of endogenous ethanol by the digestive system when foods rich in carbohydrates are consumed, such as bread, potatoes or beans.
The disease thus leads to symptoms similar to those of alcohol poisoning. These include unsteadiness when walking, difficulty speaking clearly, gastrointestinal upset and confusion, according to information from the US National Library of Medicine.
According to the lawyer, scientists consider that it is an underdiagnosed syndrome, since only about twenty people around the world officially suffer from it. Her client, whose identity was not specified, was able to prove that she was a carrier after involving three doctors in the framework of the judicial procedure, she stressed.
Ghesquiere told Reuters that, in “another unfortunate coincidence,” his client works at a brewery.
The court referred to “a case of force majeure.” “We are happy with this ruling, but it is not yet final,” said Ghesquiere, specifying that the prosecution could appeal.
Alcohol control in 2022
The man underwent a breathalyzer test in April 2022, when he gave a rate of 0.91 mg per liter of expired air. A month later, he underwent another control and gave 0.71 mg/l, while the legal limit in Belgium stands at 0.22 mg/l.
The driver, who had already been sentenced in 2019 to a fine and a temporary suspension of his driving license for the same reasons, pleaded not guilty, stating that he had not been drinking. Apparently, he was not aware of the syndrome he suffered from.
Now, he follows a special diet with low carbohydrate content, which has helped him prevent the syndrome from triggering.
FEW (AFP, The Independent)
