Contact may be indirect, such as coming in contact with an animal which came in contact with the plant. The sap can also be found on contaminated clothing, garden tools, and sports equipment such as fishing rods, golf clubs, and so forth. The droplets of sap can even be found on ash from burning the plants.
Some individuals are even allergic to the pollen.
This list may not be all inclusive. Symptoms skin itching burning redness blisters swelling where Found Bruised roots, stems, flowers, leaves, fruit, and pollen of poison ivy , poison oak , and poison sumac . Fatalities are very uncommon. At worst the individual will be very uncomfortable for a while. A secondary skin infection may develop if the exposed areas are not kept clean.