In a remote part of Northern Cameroon, a traveller on a trans-African truck expedition developed a headache, fever and neck stiffness. I received a letter from one of his companions, who had used a copy of my book Travellers' Health and a supply of antibiotics from his medical kit to diagnose correctly and treat what proved to be a case of meningitis. Such cases are thankfully rare - meningitis is unusual in travellers and there is a good vaccine available for those at risk. But antibiotics can be lifesavers and you don't have to be a doctor to use them sensibly.

In much of Africa, outside large cities, antibiotics and other medicines may be in short supply and of variable quality: some are outright fakes. Anyone contemplating a serious adventure should be sure to take a good medical kit, including one or more types of antibiotic.

What's the best choice? For travellers' diarrhoea and bacillary dysentery, the best all-round choice is probably ciprofloxacin. The current view is that people with severe symptoms should begin treatment at an early stage: a single dose of 500-750mg will clear things up completely in 80% of cases. A pack of 10 (500mg) tablets allows you the luxury of a longer course if the condition takes longer to disappear, or the option of spare doses for future bouts. Ciprofloxacin is not suitable for children, for whom another antibiotic, azithromycin (Zithromax) is a better choice. Both are fairly expensive, but both can be used for other infections as well: in the past three months I've had to use my stash to treat one fellow traveller for a bladder infection and another for a serious skin infection (following a metal burn acquired from sunbathing in an underwired bikini).

Amoebic dysentery and giardia infections need a different drug. Metronidazole (Flagyl) or tinidazole (Fasigyn) are the main options; the latter is more expensive, but can be taken as a single dose and is more pleasant to take. A penicillin antibiotic can also come in handy for conditions ranging from throat infections to meningitis.

These are all prescription drugs which need to be used carefully and appropriately. The best approach is to discuss your trip in detail with your doctor or your travel clinic before you go. Travel clinics are usually very good at tailoring a medical kit to your exact needs. A book like Travellers' Health can help you interpret symptoms and decide when and which antibiotic to use in a particular situation. Email, cell phones and satellite phones have a global reach: it's easier than ever to call your doctor from the heart of Africa for advice and technical support, but it helps to have the medication with you in the first place.

Dr Richard Dawood is a specialist in Travel Medicine at the Fleet Street Travel Clinic, London (www.fleetstreetclinic.com). If you have any questions relating to your health while travelling in African, email or write to Travel Africa, 4 Rycote Lane Farm, Milton Common, Oxford OX9 2NZ, England.