I too, along with some others, have come down with this while in Africa - and had a relapse once home. No fun at all, but not the end of the world either. Getting the shakes gives the animals a better chance!
I would strongly suggest - apart from all of the prevention possibilities discussed above - you bring a cure with you, particularly if you are hunting the Eastern Cape or anywhere else where ticks are endemic. Pepper ticks, especially, are very hard to see and control. If you're up for it, apparently a bath in a mixture of Dettol and water is just the thing. Get the Dettol in South Africa. A lot cheaper.
The cure is easy - ask your doctor for a 10 day course of both doxycycline and levofloxacin (both antibiotics). Take 'em both if needed (you will know if they are needed!). And get an oral antihistamine. You can develop a nasty infection just from the scratching these things will induce, along with a lot of lost sleep.
