Dermatitis: Genus Rhus (Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac)

The word poison entered the English language in 1387 as ‘poysoun”, and in Memoirs of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, v. 1, 1785, the word poison-ivy was used for the first time: “Poison ivy … produces the same kind of inflammation and eruptions … as poison wood tree”.The first known reference to poison-ivy, Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Ktze., dates from the 7th century in China and the 10th century in Japan. Since Toxicodendron species do not grow in Europe, the plants remained unknown to Western civilization until explorers visited the New World seven centuries later. Capt. John Smith (1579–1631) wrote the first description of poison-ivy and originated its common name; he noted a similarity in the climbing habit of North American poison-ivy to English ivy (Hedera helix L.).

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Mango Dermatitis After Urushiol Sensitization

Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine ◽

10.5811/cpcem.2019.6.43196 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 361-363 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michael Yoo ◽

Brandon Carius

Keyword(s):

Hypersensitivity Reactions ◽

Hypersensitivity Response ◽

Unique Combination ◽

Mango Fruit ◽

Type Iv ◽

Poison Ivy ◽

History Of ◽

Patient’S History ◽

Mango Peels ◽

Poison Oak

Prior exposure to poison ivy and poison oak, which are plants in the Anacardiacea family and contain high levels of urushiol, appear to be a risk factor for delayed hypersensitivity reactions to mango fruits. Cross-sensitization between these plants and mangos is believed to be secondary to an overlap in the urushiol antigen and 5-resorcinol, found predominately in mango peels. This unique combination of sensitization and reaction constitutes a type IV hypersensitivity response, mediated and driven by T cells reacting to similar antigens. We present a case of an otherwise healthy man, with a remote history of poison ivy exposure, who presented with a delayed but significant reaction to mango fruit. Obtaining the patient’s history of prior plant exposures and reactions was key to isolating the likely underlying causation of his presentation.

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