Re: [Az-Geocaching] Poison Oak/Ivy

A good, more thorough definition...are we boring anybody yet?
I do understand the mechanism that explains "immunity" and why repeated
exposure results in greater damage, but I don't feel like trying to write it
out all here.....LOL
~~trisha

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Stamm" <nemo@flash.net>
To: <az-geocaching@listserv.snaptek.com>
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 10:21 PM
Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] Poison Oak/Ivy


> Trisha Radley wrote on 1/11/02 7:15 AM :
>
> >Actually, that is a good example of how the body develops an allergic
> >reaction/response (like beestings). The first time you are exposed, you
have
> >no allergic antigens to the offending substance, and your body develops
> >these so that the next time you are exposed, your body has developed a
> >"memory" in its immune system and attacks the substance...hence the
allergic
> >reaction. Not sure I explained that very well, but its early!
>
> Good explanation, but it's a little more complicated than that. The
> oils/chemicals from the poison ivy are not harmful to the skin, do not
> cause any symptoms, and do not cause antibodies to be produced. The
> invading chemical is "digested" (bad word), on the skin, and reacts with
> the skin proteins. The resulting components are manifested as "foreign"
> to the body's immune system. This usually takes hours, so there is time
> to wash the junk off (if you know it is there.)
>
> Now the immune system sends white blood cells to the "foreign" area,
> where they end up attacking everything in the area. This is what causes
> all the damage.
>
> I don't remember the mechanism that explains "immunity," and why repeated
> exposure results in greater damage.
>
> -Jim
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