Circumcision Urged in Curbing AIDS Spread

B_Italian1

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Circumcision Urged in Curbing AIDS Spread

By MERAIAH FOLEY, Associated Press Writer



(AP) -- A U.S. health expert urged governments worldwide Tuesday to endorse circumcision to slow the spread of HIV, saying men without the procedure have a greater risk of contracting the virus from infected female partners.


http://www.physorg.com/banner/lifesci468x60.gif Experts at an AIDS conference in Sydney also warned that HIV infection rates were rising among men who have sex with men in developing countries because of discrimination and lack of access to health services.

The World Health Organization says male circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male transmission of the disease by around 60 percent. But only 30 percent of men worldwide have had the procedure, mostly in countries where it is common for religious or health reasons.

Robert Bailey, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois, said studies in Africa showed that uncircumcised men were 2 1/2 times more likely to contract HIV from infected female partners, though many health officials were still unclear about its benefits.

"If we had a vaccine that was 60 percent protective, we would be very happy and we would be rolling it out as fast as we can," Bailey told reporters at an International AIDS Society Conference in Sydney, Australia.

"The next step is to get the leaders of countries to actually come up with policy statements endorsing the practice," said Bailey, who has conducted circumcision-related studies in Africa and the United States.

Without local support, international agencies would be unlikely to encourage the procedure to avoid being seen as imposing foreign cultures or values, he said.

Circumcision, the removal of the foreskin from the penis, has long been suspected of reducing men's susceptibility to HIV infection because the skin cells in the foreskin are especially vulnerable to the virus.

In March, the WHO urged heterosexual men to undergo the procedure because of compelling evidence that it reduces their risk of getting the disease. However, it cautioned that male circumcision is not a complete protection against HIV, and said men should still use condoms and take other precautions such as abstinence, delaying the start of sexual activity and reducing the number of sexual partners.

"Circumcision could drive the epidemic to a declining state toward extinction," Bailey said. "We must make safe, affordable, voluntary circumcision available now."

Bailey also called on international agencies to ramp up funding for circumcision in countries hardest-hit by the epidemic.

Michel Kazatchkine, the executive director of the Global fund, a leading international health agency, also called for increased funding.

"I believe that the evidence is overwhelming for the efficacy of circumcision," Kazatchkine told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the meeting. "And if countries come to us ... I see no reason at all why we wouldn't fund that."

Kazatchkine said his organization had not yet received any requests for funding for circumcision, and noted that the WHO advice on the topic was only released in March.

Also at the conference, a leading American AIDS research group said HIV infection rates among men who have sex with men were rising in Africa, Asia and Latin America, citing figures from UNAIDS.

Studies also show that less than 5 percent of that group have access to HIV-related health care, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, or amfAR, said.

"This is a massive failure of the HIV/AIDS response globally and I think one that needs to be addressed," said Kevin Frost, amFAR's chief executive officer.

In Kenya, around 40 percent of men who have sex with men are estimated to be HIV positive, compared to a 6 percent rate in the country's overall population, amFAR said. In Senegal, nearly 22 percent are believed to be infected, compared to less than 1 percent of the general population.

In Uruguay and Mexico, 21 percent and 15 percent are estimated to have the disease.

Under an initiative launched at the AIDS Society Conference, amFAR will seek to raise $3 million in the next three years to provide grants for AIDS education and research among men who have homosexual sex in developing countries.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 

danerain

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© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Okay, that was from 2006. The "studies" have since been torn to shreads for being full of crap.


In one hour this will become the current biggest battle ground on LPSG, mark my words.

P.s. Welcome to LPSG, interesting first post.
 

Uncutsouthernboy

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Circumcision has not helped the African Muslim countries like Gambia. They have some of the highest HIV rates in the world.

Uncircumcision has not hurt Germany, Scandanavia, France or other European countries. Japan has not been hurt by not circumcising. These countries have HIV/Aids rates equal or lower than Arabia and Israel.

The USA, a highly circumcised nation, has a very high HIV/Aids rate. Mexico, which circumcises very little, has a low HIV/Aids rate.

So, if circumcised African Muslims have an extremely high rate of AIDS but circumcised Arabian Muslims have a much lower rate of infection then could there be something else in play? Could genetics be a factor?

True, the country with the highest rate in the world is 100% uncircumcised. It is a tiny East African nation that I can not remember the name. On the other hand, the lowest rates in the world are non-circumcising countries.

Seems to me that other factors are at play.
 

chico8

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People who are malnourished, have little or no medical care, live in the midst of malaria and TB epidemics, have no treatment for all the other STDs that are out there, and have minimal access to bathing facilities and condoms are much more likely to contract HIV.

Circumcision as a means of preventing HIV transmission is really nothing other than some circum fetishist's wet dream come true.

The dryness that comes from sex with a cut dick is much more likely to be a cause of HIV transmission. Dryness equals friction, friction means abrasions, abrasions mean great access for not only HIV but also a horde of other transmissible disease.




Hey, are you gonna post a pic of those new heels? There's something about red heels that gets me off! I'm gay and not into cross dressing or those of the transgendered persuasion but red stilettos are hot!