The Dangers of the Outdoors - Poison Ivy Plants

Hi king trips, picnics and other outdoor activities are fun for the whole family because you get to bond and appreciate the beauty and comfort that nature provides you with. But sometimes, there are potential dangers in the great outdoors that could take the fun off your family trip.
Not many of these dangers are mobile and active---on the contrary, most of them are idle and non-motile, such as plants and fungus. Some plants, like poison ivy plants are one of these dangers. These plants easily blend in with the background and could cause harm to you
and your family if caution is not exercised.

Poison ivy is known as Toxicodendron radicans to the scientific world. These plants are capable of producing a compound called urushiol. Urushiol induces rashes and irritations to appear on the skin. This condition is called urushiol- induced contact dermatitis. This condition is a hypersensitivity reaction to the compound and almost 15-30% of people can get allergic reactions to urushiol exposure. The compound can cause anaphylactic shock if the person is exposed to large doses of urushiol, or is simply extremely hypersensitive to it.
Urushiol makes the skin develop large rashes that soon erupt into blisters that ooze.

Not only do poison ivy plants pose threat when it comes into contact with the skin, but it also causes other potentially life-threatening conditions to other parts of the body. It can cause lung lining inflammation and damage that cause pain and difficulty breathing when the plant is burned and the fumes and ashes of the plant are inhaled, and if eaten, the stomach, kidneys and other internal organs can get damaged and inflamed as well.
Dry and dead poison ivy is not safe to handle still because urushiol oils are very stable and long lasting. Urushiol-containing plant oils can remain intact for up to several years.