Editor

It is incorrect and damaging to assert ‘pheasants alone carry the primary bacteria that causes Lyme disease in humans’ (Lyme disease fear over shoots, Letters, 26 November).

Pheasants, along with numerous birds, are competent hosts of some but not all strains of the bacteria Borrelia sp that causes Lyme disease. This means that they have the potential to act as mops for some potentially more dangerous strains as they are unable to transmit them.

Pheasants’ relationship with Lyme disease is extremely complex, however it is clear that they are not a fundamental component of the tick life-cycle and therefore, cannot be simplified to such an argument as put forward by Rosie Strang, Machynlleth.

The idea that reducing pheasants will wipe out the disease is not supported by research and ignores the many other animal hosts and vectors.

Heather Warrender British Association for Shooting and Conservation science officer, Marford Mill, Wrexham

Have your say on the local issues affecting you - email [email protected] or join in the conversation on our Facebook page