Allergies to Japanese Rhus Tree

Filed in archive Other Allergies on December 26, 2006

I don't think I've ever seen a Japanese rhus tree (also known as the Japanese wax tree), but this story scared me. I've always warned my son to keep away from colorful plants, particularly those that bear berries as a lot of them are very poisonous. But children will always be curious and playful, and will not always remember to resist the lure of these colorful fruits and leaves. Sometimes, my son would absentmindedly pick and pluck leaves when we go for walks, and luckily we've never had an allergic incident yet.

According to the report, 98.5 percent will develop an allergy of some kind after contact with the [rhus] tree. And it's not just a fleeting effect one can easily dismiss, either. Reaction times and effects vary from a rash to severe swelling of the limbs and face, and temporary blindness.

[Photo: DermNetNZ]