Does circumcision prevent HIV?
STUDIES done in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa showed that men who were circumcised had lower HIV infection compared to their counterparts who were not.
Face HIV with Dr Waititi
Dear doctor,
I have read a lot in The New Vision and in other publications where medical personnel clearly say that circumcision in men can reduce HIV infection by up to 60%, but none of them has explained to us how. Is it true? If so, please explain to me how this can be.
Mr. R; Netherlands
Dear Mr. R,
STUDIES done in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa showed that men who were circumcised had lower HIV infection compared to their counterparts who were not.
It has been proved scientifically that people who have sores on their private parts caused by other sexually transmitted infections are at a higher risk of getting HIV than those who do not.
Since HIV is found in sexual fluids (semen and vaginal fluids), in the event of having unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person, HIV will easily find access to the blood stream of the uninfected person because the genital sores have broken the protective barrier, which the skin or mucus membrane provides.
Now we know that circumcised men tend to be less susceptible to genital sores than their uncircumcised counterparts. So you can see that circumcised men will have their risk of being infected with HIV reduced.
Secondly, the foreskin is rich in cells known as Langerhans cells, which have a lot of receptors onto which HIV attaches itself to gain entry into the blood.
So by removing the foreskin during circumcision, these cells are removed and this reduces the risk of HIV infection. However, though circumcision reduces the risk of getting infected with HIV, it does not eliminate it .
No one should take chances because even circumcised men get infected with HIV through sexual intercourse.
Either abstain from sex or use condoms correctly and consistently if you do not know your partner’s HIV status.
Dear doctor,
I have read a lot in The New Vision and in other publications where medical personnel clearly say that circumcision in men can reduce HIV infection by up to 60%, but none of them has explained to us how. Is it true? If so, please explain to me how this can be.
Mr. R; Netherlands
Dear Mr. R,
STUDIES done in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa showed that men who were circumcised had lower HIV infection compared to their counterparts who were not.
It has been proved scientifically that people who have sores on their private parts caused by other sexually transmitted infections are at a higher risk of getting HIV than those who do not.
Since HIV is found in sexual fluids (semen and vaginal fluids), in the event of having unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person, HIV will easily find access to the blood stream of the uninfected person because the genital sores have broken the protective barrier, which the skin or mucus membrane provides.
Now we know that circumcised men tend to be less susceptible to genital sores than their uncircumcised counterparts. So you can see that circumcised men will have their risk of being infected with HIV reduced.
Secondly, the foreskin is rich in cells known as Langerhans cells, which have a lot of receptors onto which HIV attaches itself to gain entry into the blood.
So by removing the foreskin during circumcision, these cells are removed and this reduces the risk of HIV infection. However, though circumcision reduces the risk of getting infected with HIV, it does not eliminate it .
No one should take chances because even circumcised men get infected with HIV through sexual intercourse.
Either abstain from sex or use condoms correctly and consistently if you do not know your partner’s HIV status.