Circumcision program reduced HIV acquisition in non-Muslim men

  • March 9, 2012

A circumcision program in Rakai, Uganda reduced HIV acquisition in non-Muslim men over four years, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The Rakai Community Cohort Study involves annual surveillance of consenting residents aged 15 to 49 years. Through this program, male circumcision services were provided through randomized trials from 2004 to 2007 and through a PEPFAR program since 2008.

Researchers analyzed the prevalence of medical male circumcision and the incidence of HIV over four years before the availability of medical male circumcision compared to the five years after its availability.

Among non-Muslim men, the rate of medical male circumcision increased from 5.6% from 2000 to 2003 to 25.3% in 2009. The incidence of HIV after availability of medical male circumcision was 1.11/100 person-years in uncircumcised men and 0.66/100 person-years in circumcised men. Among all non-Muslim men, the incidence of HIV declined from 1.36/100 person-years in 2000 to 2003 to 1.05/100 person-years in 2004 to 2009. There were no other changes in risk behaviors among these men.

For more information:

  • Gray R. #36. Presented at: 19th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections; March 3-8, 2012; Seattle.

Disclosure: Dr. Gray reports no financial disclosures.

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