Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac Reaction (Urushiol-Induced Contact Dermatitis)

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wkhs.com Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac Reaction (Urushiol-Induced Contact Dermatitis) Overview This itchy skin reaction comes from touching certain plants. It's caused by an oil, called "urushiol," found in the sap of these plants. Even a tiny bit of this oil causes a skin reaction in most people. Know the plants Which plants should you avoid? Be on the lookout for poison ivy and poison oak. Both grow as a shrub or a vine. Their leaves grow in clusters of three. Also watch for poison sumac. It has feather-shaped leaves with red stems. The leaves are arranged in clusters ranging from five to 13. You may also see berries and small white flowers. Reaction When you touch one of these plants, the urushiol in the sap passes through your skin. Symptoms begin soon after contact, usually within 12 to 48 hours. Your skin may be red, warm, swollen and itchy. You may get a rash, and blisters may form. These may break and ooze and form a crust. It can take about three weeks for your skin to heal. Treatment The best way to prevent this reaction is to avoid these plants and anything that may have touched them. If you think you've come into contact with sap from one of these plants, wash your skin as soon as possible with soap and cold water. Creams and ointments can help the itching. If your reaction is severe, your doctor can prescribe a stronger medicine. www.viewmedica.com © 2021 Swarm Interactive. Unauthorized duplication is strictly forbidden..

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Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron Radicans) DESCRIPTION
Weed Identification and Control Sheet: www.goodoak.com/weeds Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) DESCRIPTION: Poison ivy is a native woody vine and member of the sumac family. It can be found in shady and sunny sites rambling along the ground, forming a small shrub, or climbing up trees. The vines attach to surfaces by means of thin aerial roots which grow along the length of the stem. The plant always has three leaflets which are often serrated. Usually these leaflets have one dominant lobe, giving the outer two leaves the appearance of mittens with the central leaf resembling a mitten with two thumbs. Young leaves are often dark green or maroonish, and the attractive fall foliage can range from brick to fire- engine red. Poison ivy is generally not considered a threat to native plant communities, in fact, the white berries provide winter food for birds and deer relish the foliage. Though harmless to most animals, many humans are allergic to the urushiol (yoo-roo-shee-ol) oil produced by the plant which results in itching, inflammation and blisters. This oil is found in all parts of the plant during all times of the year. This oil can also be spread by contact with clothing, shoes, pets or equipment that have touched poison ivy weeks or months after initial contact. It can even be transmitted in the air when poison ivy is burned, which presents a severe risk if inhaled and has been known to result in hospitalization and death. Though some people are not alleargic to the oil, its important to wear pants, long sleeves and gloves when working around poison ivy since the allergy can develop af- ter repeated exposures to urushiol.
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■ ,VVXHG LQ IXUWKHUDQFH RI WKH &RRSHUDWLYH ([WHQVLRQ :RUN$FWV RI 0D\ DQG -XQH LQ FRRSHUDWLRQ ZLWK WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 'HSDUWPHQWRI$JULFXOWXUH 'LUHFWRU&RRSHUDWLYH([WHQVLRQ8QLYHUVLW\RI0LVVRXUL&ROXPELD02 ■DQHTXDORSSRUWXQLW\$'$LQVWLWXWLRQ■■H[WHQVLRQPLVVRXULHGX AGRICULTURE Poison Ivy: Identification and Control lthough poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is easily identified and should be avoided, countless people A experience an uncomfortable introduction to the species. A mere touch of the foliage can result in a blotching of the skin and burning water blisters, which cause the flesh beneath to swell and itch intensely. Symptoms may become evident within a short time after exposure, or they may take a few days to appear. Usually, exposure leaves no scars, and general health is not impaired. All parts of the plant, including stem and roots, contain and secrete a nonvolatile oil called urushiol, which affects the skin. Because the oil is insoluble in water, washing with water alone merely spreads the oil to other areas and increases the discomfort. However, washing with a strong alkali soap such as yellow laundry soap or naptha will relieve the discomfort. Alcohol will dissolve and remove the oily substance from the skin, and, if applied soon enough, will prevent irritation. Burning poison ivy after it has been cut or grubbed out and dried can be hazardous because smoke can cause the same symptoms. Inhaling the smoke can result in serious consequences. Appearance Poison ivy can be found as a low-growing shrub, can grow as a trailing vine along the ground, or can occur as a Figure 1. Easily identified by its leaves, poison ivy can appear as either a vine vine that climbs to the top of the tallest tree.
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Weeding Out Myths About Poison Ivy · Scrubbing with soap and water after Two days after a picnic, you notice a blistery exposure is important. rash. In a few days it itches - you have True. Wash exposed areas well with a gentle soap. Wash clothes and clean your shoes or boots with detergent or alcohol to remove the resin. Your pet’s fur and your tools may also pick up the resin. poison ivy. Actually, the offending agent isn’t a poison at all -- it is a resin called urushiol (oo-Roo-Sheol). This antigen or allergy- · Perspiration spreads poison ivy. inducing substance, is found in the sap of poison ivy and its relatives, poison oak and False. Perspiration won’t spread the rash, if sumac. the resin (urushiol) has been washed off. Common Fallacies · Hot showers spread poison ivy. False. Cool showers sooth an itch longer since · Poison ivy grows only in the spring and hot water rushes blood to the affected area summer and gives only temporary relief. False. Poison ivy is easier to spot in May and · Broken blisters are contagious. June because of its small green flowers, but the plant also grows in early fall. And the resin False. The liquid inside a blister is your body’s can remain on the surface of dead plants in defensive response. Do not puncture the winter as well. blisters. · Poison ivy, oak, and sumac belong to the How To Destroy the ivy and oak families. Plants False. All three are in the cashew nut family. For the allergy to develop, the resin (urushiol) from the plant must reach your skin.
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Poison Ivy in Michigan Authors: Erin Hill and Angela Tenney Michigan State University Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences
Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E3438 | May 2020 Poison Ivy in Michigan Authors: Erin Hill and Angela Tenney Michigan State University Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences We have all likely heard the saying “leaves of three, let it be” in reference to poison ivy. This is a helpful starting point, but additional details and background are important for identification. Two different plant species in Michigan are referred to as poison ivy; both are members of the mostly tropical family that contains mangoes, cashews, and sumacs: Anacardiaceae. Eastern poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is concentrated in the lower half of the Lower Peninsula (Figure 1) and often grows as a vine with aerial roots (Drife, 2015; Reznicek et al., 2011) (Figures 2 and 3). Western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) can be found in the Upper Peninsula and the northern and western portions of the Lower Peninsula. Western poison ivy has an upright growth habit (Figures 4 Figure 1. Distribution of Western and Eastern poison ivy and 5); it does not climb and does not have (Toxicodendron rydbergii and T. radicans, respectively) based on Michigan herbaria records from Michigan Flora Online. aerial roots. (Figure by Erin Hill) Figures 2 and 3. Eastern poison ivy has a vining growth habit and Figures 4 and 5. Western poison ivy has an upright growth habit with aerial roots to secure it to trees and other objects. no aerial roots (Figure 4) and can often be seen as patches on the forest (Figure 3 photo by Angela Tenney) floor (Figure 5). (Figure 5 photo by Jennifer Yakey-Ault) Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E3438 | May 2020 Figure 6.
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Poison Ivy Toxicodendron Radicans
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