Water being circulated in Jensen’s Grove after multiple reports of swimmer’s itch

BLACKFOOT — The city of Blackfoot is circulating water “as rapidly as possible” through Jensen’s Grove after multiple people have complained of swimmer’s itch.

Swimmer’s itch is also called cercarial dermatitis and appears as a skin rash caused by an allergic reaction to microscopic parasites that infect some birds and mammals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the parasites are released from infected snails into fresh and salt water. If the parasite comes into contact with a swimmer, it burrows into the skin causing an allergic reaction and rash.

Several Jensen’s Grove visitors this week reported having swimmer’s itch and many posted photos of their infection.

“This is my leg after swimming 20 minutes in Jensen Grove on July 5th,” Yvonne Mortensen wrote on Facebook. “Please post warnings.”

The city of Blackfoot has posted warning signs, according to a post on the city’s Facebook page.

The message reads:

“Please realize that swimmer’s itch occurs in any slow moving body of water that is frequented by water fowl. With the Snake River as high as it was, a high flow rate of water circulation wasn’t possible. Now that the Snake River is lower, we are circulating water through Jensen’s Grove as rapidly as possible to help reduce the problem of swimmer’s itch.

There are signs posted at the Grove warning that individuals might get swimmer’s itch, and recommending that you rinse off immediately after getting out of the water. This would reduce, or eliminate entirely, your change of getting swimmer’s itch.”