Male Circumcision Significantly Lowers Risk of HIV Infection

Filed in archive News , Studies , Treatment on August 10, 2006

Even if circumcision is practiced because of health, cultural or religious reasons, still it is considered as the unkindest cut and an assault to the male sex.

These days (and in the future) the protective effect of circumcision against HIV (found in research studies) will become the best reason that will change parental expectations and medical practice across the world.

Removing the foreskin is thought to harden the glans (head) of the penis, making it less permeable to viruses. Research conducted in 2005 showed the transmission of HIV from women to men during sex was reduced by 60 per cent if the men were circumcised.

Exactly the sentiments revealed by the head of the one of the world's largest Aids charities, Richard Feachem, executive director of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, who believes that we are on the brink of a revolution in attitudes to circumcision.

In a study published last month, it was calculated that that if all men in sub-Saharan Africa were circumcised, it would prevent almost six million new cases of HIV infection and save three million lives over the next 20 years.

Such finding, according to Dr. Feachem, was one of the most significant in the battle against Aids and offered real hope of slowing the spread of the virus.
Still, this issue is to be debated at the World Aids Congress, opening next week in Toronto, Canada.

Dr Feachem said: "We know the factors that cause HIV to spread rapidly in a country - the number of concurrent sexual partners, the use of condoms, the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases and male circumcision. Other things being equal, in a circumcised population you have a low and slowly developing epidemic and in an uncircumcised population you have a high and fast developing epidemic."

He added: "Circumcision is growing strongly in popularity in South Africa and in North America. We see males seeking circumcision very commonly in South Africa. The news of its protective effect caused a substantial increase in demand for adult male circumcision.

In the UK and North America, circumcision has been considered as an unnecessary operation. Due to news of its protective effect, is now growing strongly in popularity in South Africa and in North America.

Deborah Jack, chief executive of the UK-based National Aids Trust noted and warned that circumcision plays an important role in reducing the risk of HIV transmission but circumcised male can still be infected with HIV.

Thus, it should be reiterated that circumcision does not extremely protect against HIV nor it is an alternative to using condoms.

Source: The Independent