Hi Howard -
The reaction from a poison ivy plant is called allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and as we know is an immune system reaction to the urushiol oil bonding with the skin. There are chemicals and plants which, too, can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Here is a nice article on allergic contact dermatitis from the American Academy of Dermatologists: Allergic Contact Rashes. So the answer to your first question is - yes, you certainly could have an identical looking reaction to a different plant.
I have not found reference to any specific cases of ACD from raspberry plants but that does not mean it doesn't exist. There are a number of plants which can cause contact dermatitis but in much smaller numbers than poison ivy / oak. I've searched several times and will continue to search online to see if I can find anymore information for you. So I can't answer definitively your second question. I would not be surprised at all to find out that you could have an allergic reaction to raspberry plants - I just don't have any proof.
The poison ivy flower is quite distinctive in that it is very small and yellowish-greenish in color. If memory serves, the flower is no more than about 1/3" total in diameter. The plants do grow in similar conditions so you could be seeing poison ivy plants - look closely as the canes (stem) of the raspberry plant are quite different looking from poison ivy.
Hope this helps! |
