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Poison ivy - oak - sumac injury    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Ivy - poison; Oak - poison; Poison ivy dermatitis; Poison oak dermatitis; Poison sumac dermatitis; Sumac - poison

Definition:

This is a form of contact dermatitis caused by an allergic reaction to the resins (oily sap) of the poison ivy, oak, or sumac plant.

Considerations

Contact with poison ivy is one of the most frequent causes of skin rash in children during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. The resins of these plants cause a reaction in more than 50% of the population. Exposure to the smoke of these burning plants can cause the same reaction.

Poison ivy can be found in every region of the United States, except the Southwest, Alaska, and Hawaii. It appears as a weed with three shiny green leaves and a red stem. The plant typically grows in the form of a vine, often along riverbanks.

Poison oak is primarily found on the West Coast. It grows in the form of a shrub and has three leaves similar to poison ivy.

Poison sumac grows abundantly along the Mississippi River, but is less common in other regions. It grows as a woody shrub. Each stem contains 7 to 13 leaves arranged in pairs.

Causes

Dermatitis is caused by a sensitivity to the resin (oily sap) of these plants. The rash is spread only when the oils come into contact with different areas of skin. It is not spread by the fluid of the blisters it creates, thus it is not contagious unless the resin remains on the skin and is touched by another person. 

However, the oily resin usually enters the skin rapidly, and is seldom transferred person to person. Conversely, the resin may persist for long periods on contaminated clothing, pets, tools, etc., and sensitive individuals can easily develop the rash from delayed contact with contaminated items.

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