How does circumcision affect HIV infection?
STUDIES have shown that circumcised men do not get infected by HIV as much as those who are not circumcised. In other words, the chances are lower for the circumcised man to get HIV.
Comfort Zone
Dear Total Man,
Would you explain the relationship between circumcision and HIV? If someone had ‘live’ sex with an HIV positive person, what are the chances of a circumcised and an man uncircumcised getting it?
Wilbert
Dear Wilbert,
STUDIES have shown that circumcised men do not get infected by HIV as much as those who are not circumcised. In other words, the chances are lower for the circumcised man to get HIV.
But the protection is not 100%. Circumcised men can get HIV and they can give it to their partners, so they must protect themselves against it.
An uncircumcised man will increase his resistance to getting HIV if he gets circumcised. But both (circumcised and uncircumcised) have to use other means of HIV prevention like abstinence, being faithful, using condoms and treating STDs as soon as possible, etc.
Remember, there is no single thing (except abstinence) that can be done to protect oneself against HIV. We have to use all means possible, including circumcision.
Dr Paul Semugoma
Write to Editor, Total Man, The New Vision, P.O. Box 9815, Kampala or totalman@newvision.co.ug
Dear Total Man,
Would you explain the relationship between circumcision and HIV? If someone had ‘live’ sex with an HIV positive person, what are the chances of a circumcised and an man uncircumcised getting it?
Wilbert
Dear Wilbert,
STUDIES have shown that circumcised men do not get infected by HIV as much as those who are not circumcised. In other words, the chances are lower for the circumcised man to get HIV.
But the protection is not 100%. Circumcised men can get HIV and they can give it to their partners, so they must protect themselves against it.
An uncircumcised man will increase his resistance to getting HIV if he gets circumcised. But both (circumcised and uncircumcised) have to use other means of HIV prevention like abstinence, being faithful, using condoms and treating STDs as soon as possible, etc.
Remember, there is no single thing (except abstinence) that can be done to protect oneself against HIV. We have to use all means possible, including circumcision.
Dr Paul Semugoma
Write to Editor, Total Man, The New Vision, P.O. Box 9815, Kampala or totalman@newvision.co.ug