Author: Mark Mascolini
04 March 2010
Analysis of nearly 4000 circumcised and uncircumcised men who have sex with men (MSM) in Seattle, Washington found no evidence that circumcision lowers the risk of HIV infection or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The study involved 3828 MSM who sought care at the Public Health–Seattle and King County STD clinic from October 2001 through May 2006. Physicians ascertained whether each man had been circumcised and asked whether each man practiced mainly insertive or receptive anal intercourse. Previous work suggests that circumcision may protect against STIs only in MSM who practice insertive anal intercourse. Each man was tested for HIV, syphilis, herpes simplex virus type 2, urethral gonorrhea, and urethral chlamydia.
While 3241 men (85%) had been circumcised, 587 (15%) had not. The proportion of men with a new HIV-positive test did not differ by circumcision status; nor did the proportion of men with previously diagnosed HIV. Even when the researchers limited the analysis to men who practiced only insertive anal intercourse, circumcision had no measurable impact on risk of HIV or any of the other STIs assessed.
“Our findings suggest that male circumcision would not be likely to have a significant impact on HIV or sexually transmitted infections acquisition among MSM in Seattle,” the investigators conclude.
Source: Damon R. Jameson, Connie L. Celum, Lisa Manhart, Timothy W. Menza, Matthew R. Golden. The association between lack of circumcision and HIV, HSV-2, and other sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2010; 37: 147-152.
For the study abstract
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