Circumcision Could Cut HIV Infection
Male Circumcision Would Prevent Millions of AIDS Deaths in Africa
By Daniel DeNoon
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD on Tuesday, July 11, 2006
July 11, 2006 -- Male circumcision , if widely adopted in Africa, would
prevent 3 million deaths over 20 years. It would work as well as a
moderately effective AIDS vaccine.
The prediction comes from an international team of researchers including
Brian G. Williams, PhD, of the World Health Organization. They report their
findings in the July issue of the public-access, online journal PLoS
Medicine.
"Male circumcision could avert 2 million new HIV infections and 300,000
deaths over the next 10 years in sub-Saharan Africa," Williams and
colleagues write. "In the 10 years after that, it could avert a further 3.7
million new infections and 2.7 million deaths."
About a fourth of the impact would be in South Africa, which is particularly
hard-hit by the AIDS pandemic.
These estimates are based on a 2005 clinical trial that found male
circumcision reduces female-to-male spread of HIV -- the AIDS virus -- by
60%.
This would be the same effect as an AIDS vaccine that was 37% effective in
protecting both men and women against HIV infection.
Preventing HIV infection of men would slow HIV spread to women. But Williams
and colleagues note that women need protection of their own -- a safe,
HIV-killing agent that could be applied directly to the vagina prior to sex.
And while it's important to find ways to cut the spread of HIV, it's even
more important to get effective treatments to people already infected with
the virus that causes AIDS.
"The need to keep HIV-positive people alive through the provision of [AIDS
drugs] remains the most immediate priority," Williams and colleagues write.
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SOURCE: Williams, B.G. PLoS Medicine, July 2006; vol: 3 pp e262.
© 2006 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved
Leanne Wynne
Midwife in charge of "Women's Business"
Mildura Aboriginal Health Service Mob 0418 371862
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