Circumcision Can Prevent HIV

The study revealed that circumcision can reduce HIV transmission effects. Thanks to circumcision, HIV transmission can be prevented 50-60% in the United States (U.S.). The results of this research were presented at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria.

The study was conducted on Africans from 2005-2007. The results showed decreased levels of HIV transmission to men who do the circumcision. Clinical trials were conducted in Uganda, Kenya and sub-Saharan South Africa. The result of circumcision can reduce the risk of female to male HIV transmission by 50-60%. The success of this test is expected to also be successful for U.S. gay couples. "Circumcision is not to protect heterosexual men contracting HIV from their female partner," said study author and researcher of this new post-doctoral fellow University of Pittsburgh, Chongyi Wei.

However, no similar studies in homosexual men. In the new study, University of Pittsburgh researchers surveyed 521 gay and bisexual men in San Francisco. Researchers found that 115 people (21%) were HIV positive. While that 327 people (63%) had been circumcised HIV negative recorded. Of the remaining 69 people (13%), only three (0.5%) said willing to participate in clinical trials of circumcision and HIV prevention.

The researchers revealed their findings to the entire population of gay and bisexual men of San Francisco is estimated at 65 thousand people. The result, only 500 men could potentially really benefit from circumcision. Of that group, "Few men are willing to be circumcised even if proven effective HIV prevention strategies among gay and bisexual men," said Wei.

In fact, only four (0.7%) of study participants are willing to do the circumcision if this is the case. The difference between the results of clinical trials in Africa and the U.S. is the main cause of HIV infection in Africa is heterosexual sex, homosexual sex as the main cause of transmission in the U.S., said Wei. "The main conclusion of our study is that circumcision has a very limited impact on the HIV epidemic among gay or bisexual men in San Francisco because many of them are already circumcised," said Wei.

In addition, most gay or bisexual men participating in both receptive role (partner dianal) and insertive (couples do anal). Since circumcision is only increasing protection for insertive men, then in these circles, circumcision would not protect him from all sexual acts. According to the American Urological Association (AUA), circumcision is believed to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by removing the foreskin of the most vulnerable viral infection.

"Circumcision in the United States has been very common. As a result, circumcision could be a strategy some men to prevent HIV potential as adults, "said Wei. The results showed that circumcision has obvious potential benefit to the implementation of HIV prevention programs. This practice is rare in Africa. However, circumcision is now being promoted in several countries in Africa.


Sources: Inilah.com

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