Study: circumcision reduces AIDS risk 70%....

[Kurt]

Better have it doen by a professional though. I remember the Bobbit case. It seems to be working fine now though...

[Tjalfe]

Really, if circumcision was so beneficial, how come evolution caused us to have the skin in the first place?

[Gurm]

Really, if circumcision was so beneficial, how come evolution caused us to have the skin in the first place?

Evolution also gave us brains, but historically we've failed to use them to embrace cleanliness... LOL.

That's the major reason for it being a "good idea" healthwise. You'd THINK that people would understand keeping clean nowadays, it being the 21st century and all. But the reality is that the number of infections per year due to improper cleaning of the foreskin... are STAGGERING.

[Kurt]

washing your THANG better: imagine all the unwanted pregnancie it would avoid!

[Tjalfe]

I guess this approach,with similar surgery, would also work to prevent eye and ear infections

[Dr Mordrid]

This is an old belief that bears no statistical relevance, in reality......

Bullhockey....

Most cases of primary HIV infection are thought to involve HIV binding initially to the CD4 and CCR5 receptors (most likely on the DC-SIGN protein) that are found on antigen presenting cells. The inner foreskin and urethra are loaded with cells that present these receptors and the foreskin is highly vascular.

Unless you think sexually transmitted HIV is entering the body by way of teleportation the removal of 95% of these cells can only have a protective effect.

As far back as 2000 a review of 28 studies by Helen Weiss, Maria Quigley andm RichardJ Hayes at the Medical Research Council Tropical Epidemiology Group of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine came to this conclusion;

In conclusion, the data from observational studies provide compelling evidence of a substantial protective effect of male circumcision against HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in populations at high risk of HIV/STDs. The continuing rapid spread of HIV infection, especially in eastern and southern Africa, suggests that the potential public health benefit of introducing safe services for male circumcision on a wider scale should be explored.

As more studies have been done since this conclusion has been reinforced time after time. These studies have been published everywhere from JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Associatino) to Epidemiology and the RHO (Reproductive Health Organization) Journal.

To be sure there are those that disagree, but their numbers are shrinking fast.

Dr. Mordrid

[James_D]

Hmm.. i dont even know where to begin.. Even though i support circumsicion based on religious and also decreasing the risk of cancer in the foreskin, due to bad hygine. But claming that the foreskin contains more cell with CD4 antigens/ CCR5 receptors, well its dubious at best. The prepuce is 100% skin, which is why it's possible to reconstruct the foreskin if the person wants to. And the only way why a person should have increased number of T-cells or Monocyte related cells is due to bad hygiene. And the vascularisation is the same as the rest of the skin of the penis. But at the same time the prepuce will keep the mucous membrane moist and in prime condition, which will protect the glans, and have a positive effect in protecting in balanitis.

In 2003 there was a meeting in San Diego, of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
there it was concluded that the studies so far had failed to abide to the scientific methodes, and especially one study was in question, from a researcher from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Here it was shown clear errors in the patient selection for the epideimiologic study.

MD. JD

[James_D]

And a much more interresting aspect is why 37% of White europeans are immune while, its only 0.7% among the african population.

MD. JD

[Gurm]

I guess this approach,with similar surgery, would also work to prevent eye and ear infections

Actually no. I know you were being sarcastic, but the eye is self-cleansing, and the ear doesn't get infected through the buildup of dirt, but rather through congested sinuses.

Truthfully, the foreskin is quite literally the only body part that, if just left alone, gets infected all by itself... well, I suppose you could count the gums and teeth.

[Tjalfe]

Actually no. I know you were being sarcastic, but the eye is self-cleansing, and the ear doesn't get infected through the buildup of dirt, but rather through congested sinuses.

Truthfully, the foreskin is quite literally the only body part that, if just left alone, gets infected all by itself... well, I suppose you could count the gums and teeth.

Yeah.. but I still find it wrong to cut off bodyparts, only because people don't keep them clean

[Technoid]

Isn’t it funny that scientists from countries without cultural reasons for circumcision rarely find any "scientific" evidence for it being beneficial?

[xortam]

... It's that while the simple data ALWAYS seem to support the "circumcision is healthier" argument, it isn't always so cut and dried. ...

Cut and dried?! Ewww! You one of those odd medicinal users? Got any Rhino?

[Gurm]

Yeah.. but I still find it wrong to cut off bodyparts, only because people don't keep them clean

Me too. If you're not Jewish/Muslim, I fail to see the point, really. I was conflicted, you all may recall, 4 years ago when I had to decide whether or not to circumcise Logan. In the end I decided to do it, but it was a tough call. The reasons that played into our decision were almost 100% cultural/religious/traditional, though. Concern about infection/cancer/HIV was an almost nonexistant issue for us.

I TOTALLY fail to understand the preoccupation Americans have with doing it for non-religious reasons. It's just silly, really.

[Nowhere]

Please elaborate why doing this to a very little child because of religious/cultural/traditional reasons isn't silly.

[GT98]

And a much more interresting aspect is why 37% of White europeans are immune while, its only 0.7% among the african population.

MD. JD

Wasn't that due to something with the Palage and the thinning out of the weaker stock? :P