Is poison ivy contagious? What you need to know about how the rash spreads

  Poison ivy rash is not contagious. You cannot give it to a family member by touching them, and no one in your household will break out simply by being near you. The rash itself poses no risk of transmission. What does spread is the substance that causes the rash: urushiol (pronounced yoo-ROO-shee-ol), the colorless,