Häggström, Mikael. “Medical gallery of Mikael Häggström 2014“.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that mainly affects the lungs. However, it can affect any part of the body, including the glands, bones and nervous system.

TB is spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person. Not everybody is infectious and it does take close and lengthy contact with an infected person. It is a serious condition, but can be cured with proper treatment.

Typical symptoms of TB include:_

a persistent cough that lasts more than three weeks and usually brings up phlegm, which may be bloody
weight loss
night sweats
high temperature (fever)
tiredness and fatigue
loss of appetite
new swellings that haven’t gone away after a few weeks

 

Awareness raising is specifically recommended in the Collaborative TB Strategy for England.

TB Patient Experience Day came up with the idea of a short animation that we could spread through established communications pathways and social media. We asked for the help and support of our colleagues in De Montfort University. Pinky Bazaz, lecturer of Design within the Creative Industries, was approached to help create a simple animation to raise awareness of TB. The animation needed to be visual and simple so it could be shared with the local community and get the message across to hard to reach communities, particularly where English is not their first language.

Pinky, along with MA Digital Design student Matthew Brookes and Nick Niggett (MA Digital Design Programme Leader) developed an informative animation which aims to educate viewers on the signs and symptoms of TB, let them know who is at a higher risk and where to seek help if you think you or someone you know may have TB.