The Impact of Male Circumcision on HIV Transmission

PurposeAdult male circumcision is currently being implemented as an HIV prevention strategy worldwide. We reviewed the literature on adult male circumcision in the prevention of HIV.Materials and MethodsA MEDLINE® search was used to identify current literature addressing HIV and male circumcision. The data from that literature were reviewed and summarized.ResultsThree randomized, controlled trials demonstrate that circumcising adult males reduces the incidence of HIV by 50% to 60%. Adult male circumcision does not seem to have an adverse impact on sexual function. Epidemiological and economic modeling suggests that adult male circumcision can potentially be a highly cost-effective strategy for HIV prevention.ConclusionsSafe, high quality, low cost adult male circumcision services should be made available to regions with a high HIV incidence as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention package.