You should take precautions if walking in rural areas in South-East Asia. Seek local advice on areas where ticks pose a danger and always check your skin carefully for ticks after walking in a danger area, such as a tropical forest. A strong insect repellent can help, and serious walkers in tick areas should consider having their boots and trousers impregnated with benzyl benzoate and dibutylphthalate. Treat any cut with an antiseptic such as Betadine. Where possible avoid bandages and Band-aids, which can keep wounds wet.
Coral cuts are notoriously slow to heal, as the coral injects a weak venom into the wound.
Avoid coral cuts by wearing shoes when walking on reefs, and clean any cut thoroughly with sodium peroxide if available. Make it a general rule that all cuts and grazes, no matter how insignificant they seem, are treated with antiseptic as soon as possible. Tony and I both have experienced little scratches becoming infected wounds which took a very long time to heal. Tony actually had to have a penicillin injection, three months after the skin was broken, to cure what had been a tiny scratch. Creams and ointments should not be used as these just keep the wound greasy and prevent it from healing.