The rash of poison ivy is not contagious. I personally know better because i know people who have had the vaccine and i can vouch for it, the stuff really works! i have seen people vaccinated with the poison ivy shot(rhus tox is the name of it) and pull poison ivy bare handed! my advice to all outdoors people is to talk to your doctor about this vaccine but to still not pull poison ivy bare handed.
I have finally found a website that at least acknowledges the existence of a poison ivy vaccine believe it or not, there are a number of websites that say there is not any. Do you know where you can get it? Or a pharmacy that carries it if you get a script? Thank God I have found someone who knows the name of the Poison Oak vaccine. If the rash is oozing the clear, yellowish oil, it can be spread. If someone is burning brush and poison ivy or poison oak is in the burning brush, the wind can carry the ash with the oil on it and anyone within the vicinity allergic to poison ivy/oak can become quite infected from it. You can also get poison ivy by inhaling it. I had blisters on the inside of both arms from my wrists to my elbows. I thought I was pulling up honeysuckle vines in the spring a few years ago and later found out it was poison ivy vines. It lasts for about five hours and you will have to do it again, but this is a life saver. To stop the intense itching so you can sleep, hold the affected area under water as hot as you can stand it, for about 45 seconds.