Most people travelling from the northern hemisphere to the southern are acutely aware of the discomfort and dangers that can be brought about by the smaller living creatures on this earth - and small creatures seem to make up for what they lack in size by being particularly aggressive. But travelling is a hazardous business whichever direction you go in, and those who have spent a holiday trying to avoid the blackfly in northern Canada know that going north can be as uncomfortable as going south.

Some small beasts which bite (at the front end) may transmit disease, but critters which sting (at the back end) never do. And since disease transmission is the most serious hazard of exotic wildlife, we must first highlight a real killer.

For some time now there has been a need for a credible alternative to the conventional treatments offered for many tropical and other serious chronic diseases. Many conventional treatments carry with them the risk of severe side effects and some are no longer effective, others are inappropriate to either vegetarians or Moslems.

Blue Turtle Remedial Sciences aim to meet those needs.

Their research lab is based in Australia and consists of a team of fully GP trained homoeopaths who have been practising medicine and also conducting field research in the Philippines; Papua new Guinea and Indonesia for over 30 years. Of the 1200+ remedies in our catalogue, many have been in production and available (privately) for over 25 years.

As word began to spread through communities of expatriate workers of the mining and oil industries in tropical Asia; Africa and; Central America, we decided to make our remedies more widely available. For the last few years they have been available on a mail order basis only. Now we have an ever growing network in Africa of local and regional distributors, all of whom use our remedies to good effect themselves.

Our remedies are based on entirely natural products sourced worldwide and are designed to work with the body's own immune and self-repair systems. They can be used to treat illness or for daily prophylaxis. Highly effective and totally free of side effects, they are suitable both for children and long term use. They may be taken in conjunction with conventional treatments for other medical conditions.

Please note, however, that we are not in a position to guarantee the efficacy of these remedies and must continue to advise our clients that, in the event of uncertainty, you continue to seek the advice of your GP.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) every year about 350 million around the world will suffer from malaria. From this number approximately 2 to 3 million will die. Malaria is still the biggest health problem for developing tropical and sub-tropical countries. Whether a victim suffers from serious attacks or the lingering and debilitating effects of prolonged chronic malaria this disease can become a recurring health problem that goes on for years.

The debilitating effects of malaria significantly affect a person’s quality of life both physically and mentally. Apart from taking lives, the malaria parasite can cause serious damage to the liver, kidneys, gal bladder, spleen and brain function. It is not uncommon to see both children and adults suffer significant organ dysfunction after surviving serious attacks of malaria.

Dengue is an arbovirus disease caused by four viruses that are related to the viruses that cause yellow fever and St. Louis encephalitis. Dengue viruses are transmitted from person to person by the Aedes aegypti and albopictus (tiger) mosquitos. Periodic epidemics have occurred in the Western Hemisphere for over 200 years but the last 15 years has seen an alarming increase in large epidemics in tropical countries. Since 1996 there have been large-scale epidemics in Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, India, Vietnam and Brazil, which caused thousands of deaths.

Making a clinical diagnosis

What are the physical signs of dengue fever?

The first time a person is infected by a mosquito is called classical or primary dengue. If this person is bitten again, even months later, the resulting disease is called dengue secondary infection which can develop into dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).

Primary dengue (Classical) is characterised by acute high-grade fever, frontal headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgias, arthralgias (acute muscular and joint pain) and often a maculopapular rash. Many patients also notice a change in taste sensation. Clinically the illness may be indistinguishable from influenza, measles, or rubella. The acute phase may last up to one week, with a prolonged convalescence characterised by weakness, malaise, and anorexia.

Dengue secondary infection or dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) may resemble classical dengue or other viral syndromes in the first few days of the illness. DHF may cause fever lasting 2 to 7 days and a variety of non specific symptoms. At the time the fever begins to break the patient becomes restless and lethargic, shows signs of circulatory failure, and develops hemorrhagic symptoms.

Most patients develop thrombocytopenia - a significant reduction in the number of thrombocytes or platelets. These cells cause the blood to coagulate. This condition results in skin haemorrhages, bleeding gums, nosebleeds, vomiting and diarrhoea. Internal bleeding from the liver, bowel and stomach also occurs. Patients with these symptoms have dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Early signs of DSS are restlessness, cold clammy skin, a rapid weak pulse, and a reduction in blood pressure and/or hypertension. Dengue hemorrhagic fever/DSS is most severe in children under 15 years, but it can also seriously affect adults. Mortality rates can be kept below 1% with early diagnosis and fluid replacement therapy. The key to survival is early diagnosis. Patients with suspected dengue fever should be given acetaminophen preparations for fever, and not aspirin due to its anticoagulant properties.

In midgy country the avoidance measures are the same as for mosquitoes, they are unbearable at times but not dangerous.

Certain moth caterpillars are covered in hairs so that they look soft and furry, they are common worldwide, but only the South American species are really noxious. Children may find these miniature moving teddies attractive and wish to pick them up. When a child picks up such a caterpillar, falls on one, brushes against one or one gets inside the clothing; the "hairs" penetrate the skin and cause pain and irritation.

Stings are painful, but dangerous reactions are enormously rare in children. The faster you get bee-stings out the better, speed is more important than technique. To reduce the risk of stings clean children's faces promptly after eating sweet food and avoid flowery-patterned clothes.

Try to be a good model for your children and if you encounter wasps or bees calmly move away. Flailing about encourages insects to sting, and once one has stung an alarm pheromone is released which summons more stingers. Children who become hysterical on seeing a bee or wasp invite further stings.

Ants can be intensely irritating, but not dangerous; again while allergic reactions occur in adults, they are most unlikely in children. If you are camping, don't eat or keep food anywhere near where you want to relax (like inside the tent), and if in an apartment, sweep out the kitchen area as soon as the food preparation and eating is over.

Most scorpions are more painful than dangerous, but there are dangerous species (especially for children) in Mexico and Arizona, North Africa and the Middle East, and in Southern India. Yet if you know a little about scorpion habits they are avoidable. Scorpions are common in hot dry places in the tropics and sub-tropics and are nocturnal.

They emerge to hunt at night (and also come out after rain showers) and then find somewhere small and secure to hide in during daylight hours. Children looking under stones for treasures often disturb and annoy a slumbering scorpion; teach children to lift stones and logs away from themselves. Do not move rotting logs to pitch a tent and do not let children sit on decaying logs in forests. Discourage children from digging around in deep forest leaf litter.

Dangerous spiders are very rare; a few cause a painful bite. Try to teach your children not to be frightened. The precautions for avoiding spiders are similar to those for scorpions.

Harmless if revolting; these usually black, worm-like creatures dine on blood, but are otherwise harmless. Fortunately only the smaller species go for people and they only seem to be a big problem in Southeast and South Asia, Australia and Madagascar.

Ticks, which are quite common all over the world, are most often encountered in regions where wild deer or sheep or cattle graze. Inept attempts at removing ticks can leave their mouthparts behind and thus a troublesome infected wound. Seek medical help if anyone is ill after a tick or mite bite, or there is an area of redness around the bite.

Get any tick off as soon as you find it. Grasp it between finger and thumb as close as possible to where it is attached and pull steadily away from the skin, at right angles to the skin. Never jerk or twist the tick; just pull steadily and it will come away in one piece. If possible then flood the bite-site with diluted iodine or alcohol (whiskey, gin or local spirit).

Prompt removal and sterilisation of the wound makes disease transmission less likely. If a panicking victim or parent pulls off leeches or ticks clumsily, fragments of the mouthparts may be left behind causing infection that requires antibiotic treatment.

These housefly like insects have the most beautifully coloured iridescent eyes. Their bites are painful but they do not spread disease. They are commonest around cattle and horses, so if they are troubling you, find somewhere else to stay; repellents don't work. Horseflies sleep at night.

African tsetse flies have a painful bite and transmit sleeping sickness. They are found only in tropical Africa, mostly in game parks. Tsetse flies are twice the size of a housefly, are active during the day, their bite is painful and they are attracted to blue.

Transmit leishmania in tropical America, Middle East, Bihar and Sudan and sand fly fever elsewhere. These tiny hairy flies are most active at twilight but bite throughout the night; they are so small that they can get through mosquito netting but will not penetrate insecticide-treated nets.

Leave raised itchy bumps; not dangerous but a hazard of some holiday accommodation.

These bite at night; the bite is painful and disturbs sleep; but they spread no disease.

A good insect repellent is probably the most important item you will pack; it avoids the misery of bites, which itch for days and, if sensibly used, will considerably reduce the chances of contracting insect-borne disease, especially malaria. While repellents containing DEET (Diethyltoluamide), are probably the most effective, they are not recommended for infants or pregnant women; they are also quite irritant and upset many people with broken or sensitive skin.

Whatever repellent you buy, try it out before you travel to ensure it doesn't cause itching.

Avoid strategies such as taking Vitamin B1 or using electrical insect buzzers, which have not proven effective in repelling biting insects.

The ankles are a prime target for mosquitoes and certain other little creatures. Covering the ankles with cotton socks is a simple and effective measure and you can help your children's legs remain bite free by putting a neat drop of essential oil of lavender or citronella on the top of each sock and on the bottom of the trouser legs.

An insect can be suspended from a single hanging point centrally placed above the cot or bed. Otherwise a cot net can be slung over the cot and the cot-sides will support it, until the infant demolishes it. Tuck the net in as much as possible so that it does not trail on the ground. When putting a child to bed make sure that there are no mosquitoes inside the net. Treating bed nets with permethrin or some similar insecticide also protects those who roll against the mesh. Mosquitoes find the insecticide unpleasant and will not feed through it. bed/cot net

If travelling to areas with high risk of insect-transmitted disease, choose your accommodation wisely. Are the screens on the windows and doors free of holes? Is the room air-conditioned so that you don't need to leave windows open?

There are no records of deaths or serious problems after bites from the world's only two kinds of venomous lizards, but Komodo dragons can kill; Nile crocodiles and estuarine crocs or salties in Africa and Asia/Australia are also highly dangerous.

Snakes engender a disproportionate amount of fear; deaths from snakebite are extremely rare in travellers and expatriates. Snakes are active from late afternoon and at night; so ensure that, if the children are out in jungly areas at or after dusk, they are wearing substantial shoes or boots with trousers tucked into socks.

Snake bite: what to do Many first aid measures will actually make things much worse; so, if in doubt, do nothing! While evacuation is being organised, the follow rules will help protect the victim:

DON'T panic - it is likely that no venom has been dispensed DISCOURAGE movement of the bitten limb by applying a splint KEEP the bitten limb BELOW heart height to slow spread of the venom GIVE Paracetamol DO NOT incise or suck the wound DO NOT apply a tourniquet DO NOT apply ice packs DO NOT apply potassium permanganate.

Bears are not nice furry teddies but powerful killers; never approach a bear on foot.

Monkeys in Asian temples and African national parks often bite provocative children; bites get infected and carry a risk of rabies and tetanus.

Dogs are statistically the most dangerous of animals (after mosquitoes) they do inflict horrible injuries and can transmit rabies. In the developing world dogs are trained to be fierce; they are the village police force.

Little kittens popping their heads over the tops of cardboard boxes may look very sweet in the market but don't ever think about touching them or going near. Licks on a small cut or open wound and licks to the mouth, nose or lips can transmit the rabies virus, so do make sure your children are well aware of the dangers.

Vampires only occur in the new world (despite Transylvanian legends) and are small animals. They can transmit rabies through a bite. Do not let children pick up any bat or other small wild animal that they find. Sick or abnormally tame animals may well be dying of rabies; 12 out of the 25 confirmed rabies deaths in the United States since 1980 have been linked to bats.