Woman diagnosed with rare condition that makes her appear drunk

Over two years the woman visited the emergency department complaining of extreme daytime sleepiness and slurred speech

Auto-brewery syndrome sees fungi in the gut create alcohol through fermentation (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

A 50-year-old woman who visited hospital seven times with slurred speech and extreme tiredness, only to be discharged with a diagnosis of being drunk – despite saying she had not been drinking – had a rare condition which gave her the appearance of being intoxicated.

Called auto-brewery syndrome, the condition sees fungi in the gut create alcohol through fermentation.