Reply #176: Well, as far as HIV goes...

[cynatnite]

Studies have found that HIV incidence in the entire population could be reduced by one-third if there was 100 percent circumcision rate among men. They found that 80 percent of male HIV infections in the world happened through the foreskin of the penis, which was more susceptible to scratches and tears during intercourse.

Conducted by Dr Thomas Quinn from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in the US, the study focused on 137 uncircumcised men with HIV infected partners, and 50 circumcised men with HIV infected partners.

Of the uncircumcised men, 40 eventually became infected with HIV, but not one male among the circumcised group contracted the virus. The research was conducted in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg, in 2003 and released in 2005 and the subjects were men aged between 18 and 24.

Researchers concluded that circumcision could offer 6 percent prevention from infection.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=&art_id=vn20060327055038836C831712

One study already reported from Rakai in Uganda found that female partners of circumcised men had a 30% lower risk of acquiring HIV and several sexaullly transmitted infections (STIs) (HPV, genital herpes, trichonomiasis and bacterial vaginosis) than partners of uncircumcised men Although this difference was not statistically significant, in a plenary on prevention, Professor Tom Quinn of Johns Hopkins University said that this finding is not new and made some forecasts as to how increasing the 20-25% of the world’s male population who are circumcised might slow the spread of HIV.

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/37A87885-0A35-431B-8C8C-6D7A4B1BB9F6.asp

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And yeah, if one person is saved from becoming HIV positive by a guy being cut...I'm all for it.