Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Food poisoning is real. It is deadly, says Head of the Environmental Health Services of the Department of Health, Aileen Solaita.

She urges members of the public to be vigilant when eating out and to report to the DOH when experiencing food poisoning.

“The conditions of the kitchens across the territory is baffling, but this is not for all the restaurants.

“And the constant reminder to the owners of the need for the workers and the kitchen to be hygienic, is like singing to the choir. If it’s not one thing it’s another,” said Mrs Solaita.

She said that it is surprising that not many people have reported food poisoning to DOH given the unsanitary conditions of popular restaurants.

“Or maybe they lack the understanding of what food poisoning is all about.”

Mrs Solaita says a lot of times people experience it, but fail to report it.

She cited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that says you can suffer from food poisoning the symptoms may vary.

“This is depending on the germ you swallowed. Symptoms can range from mild to serious and can last for a few hours or several days.

The most common symptoms of food poisoning are diarrhea, stomach pain or cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.

“If you have diarrhea or vomiting, be sure to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (not having enough water in your body), says the CDC.

According to the CDC one must see the doctor if they have symptoms that are severe, including bloody diarrhea; diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days; high fever (temperature over 102°F); vomiting so often that you cannot keep liquids down; signs of dehydration, which include not urinating (peeing) much, a dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy when standing up.

 “See your doctor if you are pregnant and have a fever and other flu-like symptoms. Some mild infections can cause problems with pregnancy.

 “Most people have mild illnesses, but some infections spread by food are serious or even life-threatening. Some people may need to be hospitalized, and some illnesses lead to other health problems, including: meningitis; kidney damage; hemolytic uremic syndrome, arthritis and brain and nerve damage.

According to CDC, for some people these health problems can last for weeks or months after recovering from the food-borne illness.

 “For others, they never go away. Some germs make you sick within a few hours after you swallow them. “Others may take a few days to make you sick,” according to CDC.