Wayland Town Crier 5/28/15: Expert: Deer fueling spread of Lyme disease. An expert on tick-borne illnesses offered a dire prediction Wednesday about the state’s booming rate of Lyme disease infection, saying it may take years to reverse the trend. Dr. Sam Telford, a professor of infectious disease and global health at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, said managing the deer population is key to controlling the spread of ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease and at least four other illnesses — two of which can be fatal.