A Canadian woman from Toronto has been experiencing symptoms of drunkenness, such as slurred speech, excessive sleepiness, and the smell of alcohol on her breath despite not consuming any alcohol. This unusual condition is known as auto-fermentation syndrome, where bacteria in the woman’s intestines ferment themselves, making her appear drunk.
The woman, who is 50 years old, has visited the emergency room multiple times over the course of two years due to these recurring symptoms. Each visit resulted in a misdiagnosis of alcohol poisoning, even though she had stopped drinking alcohol due to religious reasons. Her family confirmed that she did not consume alcohol, leading doctors to suspect an underlying medical issue.
Prior to experiencing these hangover-like symptoms, the woman had a history of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) for five years, for which she was regularly prescribed antibiotics. It is believed that the antibiotics disrupted the natural balance of beneficial bacteria in her intestines, allowing harmful fungi to colonize and ferment carbohydrates, producing alcohol.
Auto-fermentation syndrome is a rare condition caused by fungi such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans growing to high densities in the intestines and fermenting carbohydrates. People with high blood sugar levels and a poor ability to break down alcohol are more susceptible to this syndrome, which is difficult to predict due to its extreme rarity.
After being correctly diagnosed with auto-fermentation syndrome, the woman was treated with antifungal medication and advised to follow a low-carbohydrate diet to limit the fermentation process. This case highlights the importance of thorough medical evaluation and consideration of rare conditions when diagnosing unusual symptoms.