Did you know that poison ivy can kill you?

Most people associate poison ivy with an itchy rash. True, this is the most common symptom. People usually get a poison ivy rash by coming into direct contact with the plant, either while walking in the woods, gardening, or weeding. When the urushiol oil in the leaves and stems of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac comes in contact with the skin, it initiates an immune response that causes redness, swelling, and blisters within 2 to 14 days .

But the skin is not the only organ that responds to this toxic chemical.

When poisonous weeds are burned, the oil is aerosolized and carried in the smoke. Campfires and brush fires can inadvertently contain leaves and branches of the poison ivy plant. When the smoke comes into contact with the skin and mucous membranes, a chemical sensitivity is triggered. The unfortunate thing about the hypersensitivity reaction to urushiol is that it is delayed. If the onset were immediate, the exposed person would be warned to move away from the toxic smoke. However, symptoms of aerosolized poison ivy allergy don’t start until much later, when it’s too late to limit the extent of exposure.

The eyes, nose, throat and bronchi are lined with mucous membranes. When these are exposed to urushiol, they will swell and turn red. While swelling in the mouth, nose, and eyes can be very irritating, swelling in the bronchial tubes can be life-threatening. An unlucky patient may have their eyes swollen shut and their entire face swollen from exposure to poison ivy smoke. This alone is reason enough to use systemic steroids (a cortisone shot or pills). However, when the bronchial tubes become swollen, it is a medical emergency and requires intravenous treatment and possible intubation (tube down the throat). In addition, blood pressure may be too low or too high, heart rate may accelerate, and an exposed patient may require hospitalization in an intensive care unit to control symptoms.

The oil can also affect the digestive tract. Eating poison ivy is usually not done on purpose, but the herb can be inadvertently eaten inside a green salad. In this case, the esophagus, stomach, and intestine would become inflamed and swollen, possibly creating a blockage, a medical emergency that could require surgery. In addition to internal discomfort, digestion may slow down, fluid loss or internal bleeding may occur, and blood pressure levels may be unstable. In the case of ingestion, the offending plant could be eliminated from the stomach if detected early, but this is unlikely to happen as the reaction is not immediate. Prolonged exposure as the oil travels through the colon can cause a severe reaction.

The best way to protect yourself is to recognize the plant and keep a safe distance. Although ingestion of poison ivy is rare, exposure to smoke occurs regularly. You don’t want to die as a result of burning weeds or enjoying a campfire.

Copyright 2010 Cynthia J. Koelker, MD