Deer slaughter may not stem rise in Lyme disease, experts warn

Scientists urge caution because infected ticks may also be spread by many other species

Britain's deer are being unfairly singled out as the chief culprits in spreading Lyme disease, experts claim. By contrast, they say the role played by other factors - and animals - should also be examined.

Open season on deer commenced last week when the BMJ reported that UK cases of the disease, a bacterial infection passed to humans by an infected tick bite, may be three times higher than previously estimated.