Study shows circumcision may reduce AIDS risk

Reuters ^ | Jul 26 | Andrei Khalip

[Selkie]

Circumcising men can help protect them from the AIDS virus, researchers said on Tuesday after finishing the first study that tried using the procedure specifically to prevent infection.

But United Nations health officials cautioned that more trials were necessary before they would recommend this as a method to protect against AIDS.

The circumcised men were 65 percent less likely to become infected with the deadly and incurable virus, the researchers told the International AIDS Society Conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Several studies have suggested that men who are circumcised have a lower rate of HIV infection. This has been especially noticeable in some parts of Africa, where some groups are routinely circumcised while neighboring groups are not.

Researchers believe circumcision helps to cut infection risk because the foreskin is covered in cells that the virus seems able to easily infect. The virus may also survive better in a warm, wet environment like that found beneath a foreskin.

Bertran Auvert of the French National Research Agency INSERM and colleagues tested more than 3,000 uninfected men aged 18-24 South Africa's Guateng province, where 32 percent of adults are infected.

Some of the men were circumcised at the start of the trial while others had the procedure after 21 months. At the end of the trial, researchers registered 69 HIV cases, and only 18 of them were in the men who were circumcised at the start.

"It shows that the intervention (circumcision) prevented between six and seven out of 10 possible infections," said Auvert, noting that although the protection rate was high it was only partial.

[Selkie]

WHAT ???????????

Are you actually comparing circumcision to cancer ?

[Selkie]

WHAT ???????????

[Dinsdale]

Africa has some ingrained cultural practices that would send any civilized women running screaming from the room when she heard of them.

Female circumcision is only the start.

Any study in Africa is only applicable to Africa. You don't see lubrication inhibitors for sale in American drug stores (not labeled as such anyhow).

[Selkie]

Aren't most Aussie guys uncut ?

[Tax-chick]

Interesting points. There's a lot of conflicting information regarding AIDS in Africa, and I think all of it has be considered with some doubt, given the state of medical care and statistics-gathering in most countries.

[Dinsdale]

No he's comparing AIDs to cancer and circumcision to mastectomy.

[Joe 6-pack]

I have no way, reason or desire to know....

[ErnBatavia]

Yep - the collar "about covers it"...

[Selkie]

ROFL

[Oniolover]

There seem to be a lot of "studies" that claim to indicate that circumcision has positive heath benefits. The truth is as long as you teach your kids to keep things clean and have responsible sex there is no difference (health wise).

[Farmer Dean]

Please tell me that was a staged photo-I don't want to think that guy is roaming the street somewhere!

[Jaysun]

Not everybody has a one dimensional mindset.

The article confirms that there are many more factors involved in contracting or transmitting AIDS than simply personal responsibility.

To those of us that remain unenlightened your comment reads like a poorly considered joke. While it's true that not everybody has a one dimensional mindset, it's equally true that not everybody has AIDS.

One doesn't have to believe the Bible to suffer the consequences of disobeying its principals. For the wages of sin is death. The lion's share of those that have AIDS contracted the disease when they engaged in sexual debauchery. Nothing is more effective at preventing the spread of the disease than abstinence until marriage, marriage between one man and one woman, and being mutually faithful to one's spouse. The alternatives don't seem to be working.

In a nutshell, the idea that abstinence is impractical is absurd. Is there such a thing as a piece of ass that's worth dying for? I think not. IF we want to end the spread of AIDS we should teach the merits of responsible behavior.

Incidentally, the Bible advocates circumcision.

[disclaimer]

WHAT ???????????
Are you actually comparing circumcision to cancer ?

Shocked are we?

I think we should remove all organs from the body, at birth, that may one day become diseased. HIV, cancer, whatever. If it is removed at birth, then he or she won't remember the pain later, and it's easier than doing the procedures at an older age. The organs that should be removed includes breasts, ovaries, testicles, and skin. All skin. We don't want to be susceptible to skin cancer. After all, we know better now, we have the studies. Oh, leave in the tonsils.

This makes as much sense as the argument you put forward.

[Jorge]

One doesn't have to believe the Bible to suffer the consequences of disobeying its principals. For the wages of sin is death. The lion's share of those that have AIDS contracted the disease when they engaged in sexual debauchery.

There are so many things wrong with this it's hard to know where to start.

First of all, lesbians are among the LOWEST RISK groups when it comes to contracting AIDS.

That fact alone shows your application of Biblical principles to pronounce moral judgment on those with AIDS is misguided.

Secondly many live very promiscous lives and NEVER contract AIDS or any STD.
Others slip up once and contract AIDS.

Still others contract it from an unfaithful spouse, a blood transfusion, or are born with AIDS.
Disobedience has NOTHING to do with many people having AIDS.

And while you quote that the wages of sin is death, you might as well note that ALL MEN DIE.

I am certainly not advocating sin or disobedience to God's laws, but I do take exception to Pharisee like judgments on those who have a fatal disease.

[KingNo155]

WE didn't need a study to prove this God told the Jews thousands of years ago and they wrote it down in a lil book 5000 + years ago. Translations of that book used to be available in most hotel rooms.

[beaver fever]

"A circumcised male that has his exposed head constantly rubbing against his clothing looses a significant amount of it's sensation. Since naturally it came encased in the protective foreskin, once circumcised away the skin of glandular head toughens up to keep itself protected loosing sensitivity."

Well the decrease in glandular sensitivity translates into longer staying power.

Ask the ladies what about their experiences concerning cut vs uncut.

Plus the cut male has an increased surface area of glans due to friction, translating into more sensory neurons hence more intense sensation.

The toughening of the glans also leads to better control and delayed sexual response.

The cut penis is the "thinking man's" penis.

[Selkie]

So you compare snipping a little piece of skin off to removing a woman's breasts.
::rolls eyes::

[Jaysun]

I am certainly not advocating sin or disobedience to God's laws, but I do take exception to Pharisee like judgments on those who have a fatal disease.

I'm talking about preventing it.

[SALChamps03]

What a crock. Abstinence is a pretty good way to reduce AIDS.

Abstinence is an excellent way to prevent AIDS. Does that make this any less true? I don't see how one negates the other.

[Jorge]

A circumcised male that has his exposed head constantly rubbing against his clothing looses a significant ammount of it's sensation.

Who told you this?
Guess unshielded finger tips must lose their ability to feel too.
I don't think so. Rubbing off dead outer layers of skin would increase sensitivity if anything.