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Poison Ivy Quiz: Don't Scratch That! 

Do you know how to avoid this evil rash and get relief?

Sid Kirchheimer

En español

Published June 10, 2021

10 Questions

Poison Ivy Quiz: Don't Scratch That! 

[ {
  "question" : "Besides those infamous leaves-of-three, roughly three in four Americans can have an allergic reaction from contact with:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Poison ivy stems",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Poison ivy roots",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "A dead poison ivy plant",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Any of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Any part of a poison ivy plant contains a chemical called urushiol, a resin-like sap that triggers itching, redness, burning, swelling or blistering after mere contact with your skin. And urushiol remains active, even on dead plants, for up to five years.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "Are you able to recognize a poison ivy plant?",
  "questionImgCredit" : "Florida Images/Alamy"
}, {
  "question" : "As the most common allergen, poison ivy grows everywhere in the United States except:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "The northernmost parts of New England",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "The Florida Keys",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Alaska and Hawaii",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Everywhere! Consider poison ivy to be our national plant.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Residents of our youngest states don't need to worry about poison ivy, but it grows as a vine or shrub in all continental U.S. states, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. So beware — and familiarize yourself with what it looks like.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "If exposed to poison ivy, what's the best way to prevent resulting rash, itching and other symptoms?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Wash unprotected skin with soap and warm water within one hour — as well as contaminated clothing, shoes and other items.",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Wash skin within 24 hours.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Rub your skin with lemon juice or the inside of a banana peel.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Use some diluted bleach; it kills anything.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "After an hour or so, urushiol has usually penetrated the skin, and later washing won't necessarily prevent a reaction (but may help reduce its severity). One study found that quickly washing with liquid dish-washing soap prevented a reaction in almost half the volunteers and reduced the inflammation in the rest by 56 percent.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Even if you don't come in direct contact with poison ivy, you can still get a reaction in every way except:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Handling a pet after its fur came in contact with the plant",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Touching the rash of an infected person, even after he or she has bathed",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Using unwashed garden tools or other items that have urushiol on them",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Wearing unwashed clothing with urushiol on it",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Pets won't itch but may cause you to. You can’t get poison ivy from another person after the urushiol has been washed off.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Clothing-covered skin is your best defense. But when wearing T-shirts and shorts, what helps protect exposed skin from a poison ivy reaction?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Using commercial \"ivy block\" products containing bentoquatam",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Applying diaper-rash creams or other products with zinc oxide",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Spraying skin with deodorants containing aluminum chlorohydrate",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Any of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "For A and B, it's not necessarily the active ingredient that's protecting you. It's the physical barrier they provide that prevent urushiol oils from penetrating skin. In the 1980s, scientists thought the aluminum chlorohydrate in antiperspirants might neutralize urushiol. But after further testing, they discovered it was the activated organic clay used as a filler in antiperspirants that blocks the irritating oil.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Once you're infected, what's the best way to control Mother Nature's mother of all itches?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Apply ice or cool compresses to skin.",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Apply shoe polish.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Apply molasses.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Apply egg whites.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Ice, cool compresses or oatmeal baths help soothe itching, but most poison ivy rashes end on their own within one to three weeks.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Which should you not do to treat most poison ivy?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Apply an antihistamine or topical anesthetic directly on your skin.",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Take cool showers.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Apply calamine lotion.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "See your doctor for severe rashes.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Taking an oral antihistamine with diphenhydramine (such as Benadryl) helps control itching, but worsens symptoms when applied to skin.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "If you've never had a previous reaction to poison ivy, even when you know you've been exposed, this means that:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "You're among the minority of lucky immune folks.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "You weren't exposed during poison ivy season.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "You're not out of the woods — you could become allergic any time.",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "You most likely didn't rub against the leaf long enough.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "No matter your past history, anyone can become allergic any time. Each exposure increases your risk of a reaction.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "If you are allergic to poison ivy, you may get a similar reaction from touching:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Mango rinds",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Cashew shells",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Ginkgo trees",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Any of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Each contains urushiol, Wolf says. To be safe, thoroughly wash mango skins before handling the fruit. Although cashews are usually deshelled, avoid unroasted products; \"roasting deactivates the oil,\" he says. And don't be a tree-hugger — at least when it comes to ginkgos.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Which of following statements is not true about urushiol?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Its name is derived from urushi, the Japanese phrase for \"avoidance.\"",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "About 1 nanogram (a billionth of a gram) can trigger an allergic reaction in someone.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "The amount covering the head of a pin could trigger itching in 500 people.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "One-quarter ounce could cause a rash in every person on Earth who is allergic to poison ivy.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Urushiol is so potent that \"avoidance\" could be a good definition. But urushi is actually the Japanese name for \"lacquer,\" since the Japanese lacquer tree also contains this troublesome substance. Incidentally, the typical person is exposed to 100 nanograms of urushiol per occurrence — 100 times more than what it takes to trigger a reaction.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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