Democrat & Chronicle: Living Page 1 of 2 Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums Local News Home Sports Weather Opinion Jobs Cars Business Obituaries Real Estate Living Apartments Search Rochester: All Entertainment Shopping Nation/World Classifieds Travel 68º | Hi 89º / Lo 62º Dating Forecast » Mostly Sunny Go Advertisement Last seven days of news ESSENTIALS News Sports Opinion Health Entertainment Itching to cause trouble Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun 1999-Present Archive Poison ivy, fueled by increased carbon dioxide, may become more stubborn Article tools Print this email Reprint info article Sam Bolz Staff writer Article tools sponsored by Living Health Travel Wine Country (June 25, 2007) — You've probably been there — the bumps, the itching, the frantic phone calls to the nearest doctor or mother figure. Advertisement Business Columnists Multimedia / Photos The good news is that you aren't alone — up to 85 percent of people are susceptible to poison ivy's namesake defense. Video Blogs Weather Obituaries Nation / World Classifieds Mobile Site E-Newsletters NEIGHBORS Brighton Chili Fairport / Perinton Gates Greece enlarge Associated Press file photo 2000 A new study reports that increased levels of carbon dioxide will make poison ivy more virulent. Day in Photos The bad news? If you are one of the world's 5 billion susceptible people, your relationship with the dreaded vine is probably going to get worse. Scientists involved in a six-year study at Duke University have found that increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere are causing vines to grow bigger, stronger and more dominant. In poison ivy, that results in a larger, more abundant and more potent leaf. Penfield Pittsford Rochester To avoid poison ivy, you have to accurately identify it. The FDA lists the following poison ivy characteristics: ! Poison ivy features three leaflets branching from one common stem, which is often reddish in color. ! The rise in carbon dioxide comes primarily from fossil fuel emissions, says Jacqueline Mohan, research ecologist at the Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory in Massachusetts and lead researcher on the study. The greenhouse gas provides plants, which remove CO2 from the air, more fuel for photosynthesis and growth. Henrietta Irondequoit Keep away Whether the impact on vines is nature's first jab at revenge or just another trailside nuisance, poison ivy is poised to become painfully relevant. It can grow as woody, ropelike vine on trees; a trailing shrub on the ground or as a freestanding shrub. ! Its leaflets often appear shiny. Many other plants feature these characteristics. For photos to help you identify poison ivy, go to: ! http://poisonivy.aesir.com ! www.savorlife.com/main_garden.htm and click on the box elder photo ! www.poison-ivy.org "Poison ivy is growing 149 percent faster than previous records show," says Mohan. Victor Webster AROUND TOWN ROCMoms "A chemical shift is also occurring in the plant's leaves, causing them to produce a more toxic urushiol." Urushiol is the plant's oily defense mechanism. A more toxic urushiol means that even the slightest of exposures could lead to a severe reaction. Rochester Magazine Events Calendar Insider ConXion ALSO ONLINE Help Center Walt Nelson, horticulture program leader at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, says only time will tell about the potential impact on poison ivy. "In day-to-day observations we won't see anything significant, but when we go back and look at the data after a number of years we'll see the changes." Dave Dailey, president of Birchcrest Tree and Landscape in Webster, knows the plant's effects well. "Our guys are being treated on a daily basis," he says. Coupons Dining / Nightlife NIE Program Personals Shopping One reason that poison ivy exposure is so common is that when urushiol rubs onto surfaces — pants, shoes, even pets — it stays on. "If you aren't properly washing clothes and outdoor gear with hot water and detergent, the allergen can stay on these for months, even years," says Dr. Robert Cole, chairman of Lifetime Health's Family Practice Department. Weddings Crossword Sudoku TV Listings Horoscopes RSS Feeds Podcasts "Pets can pick it up in the backyard, come into your house, sit on the couch and soon everyone in the family has it," Dailey says. Even city dwellers are not completely safe. In fact, they might be in for the trend's most noticeable effects. "In general, large cities are hotter and have higher levels of CO2," Mohan says, "so poison ivy could become even more of a problem in downtown Rochester." Forums Archives Cole says that although poison ivy is virtually unavoidable, the reaction is manageable if dealt with quickly upon contact. "If you think you've been exposed, your best bet is to try to gently wash the oil off with cool or lukewarm water," he says. Cole also recommends using IvyBlock, the only FDA-approved product to shield the skin from poison ivy. Even with it, both Cole and Dailey admit that exposure is still possible. While the reaction is generally localized and not dangerous to overall health, Cole warns that some people are at risk for a secondary allergic reaction: "If you're experiencing shortness of breath, wheezing, or showing signs that the reaction could be affecting your whole body, you need to contact a doctor immediately." Wary property owners have a few choices to get rid of the plant, although its distinct hardiness usually requires a few combinations and a bit of creativity. Specialized vine herbicides paired with careful physical removal generally produce good results; either way, a great deal of patience and perseverance is important. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070625/LIVING/706... 6/25/2007 Democrat & Chronicle: Living Page 2 of 2 Perhaps most important is what not to do: Never burn it. Burning poison ivy sends the urushiol skyward, coating the lungs, throat and mouth if inhaled. And never use a weed-whacker or chipper on the vines. "Every orifice you have will have poison ivy in it — your ears, your eyes, your mouth," Dailey says. The explosive vine growth also has environmental implications. Vines grow by stealing sunlight from other plants and trees, so a more efficient growth process means that other vegetation won't get the sun needed to survive. "Those most affected are juvenile trees," Mohan says. "Poison ivy's vines can easily smother, choke out these young trees. Imagine losing an entire population of junior high students — think about that future." [email protected] Last seven days of news Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun 1999-Present Archive Democrat and Chronicle Interactive E-Newsletters Sign up for E-Newsletters. Samples: Latest News FingerLakeWine.com Business News RSS feeds are also available. 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