Thursday, March 28, 2024

Circumcision could save millions from AIDS-studies

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Millions of new HIV infections in Africa could be avoided if more men were circumcised, an International AIDS Society conference was told on Tuesday.

Studies in Africa have found that male circumcision, the world’s oldest surgical procedure dating back to 2300 BC, reduces HIV transmission from females to males by 60 percent.

Universal circumcision could avert 2 million new infections and 300,000 deaths in sub-Saharan Africa over 10 years, said Professor Robert Bailey from the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

“If we had a vaccine that was 60 percent protective we would be very happy and rolling it out as fast as possible,” Bailey told the IAS conference in Sydney.

“But no one stands to profit from male circumcision — no one but the 4,000 in Africa who will be infected tomorrow.”

Africa is the epicentre of the AIDS epidemic. South Africa has an estimated 5.5 million people with HIV and is struggling to stem the spread of the disease in the general population.

But African nations such as Cameroon and Nigeria, where circumcision is common, have a much lower rate of HIV infection than Zimbabwe and Swaziland where there is little circumcision.

The idea of using circumcision as a weapon against AIDS emerged after studies in Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and the United States found the potential to significantly reduce infections, said Bailey, adding the World Health Organisation has now endorsed circumcision as a disease prevention method.

“The challenge ahead for us is how to roll out circumcision safely … and to persuade leaders in countries that it is going to help their populations,” Bailey told a news conference.

“Circumcision is not just simply a surgical procedure. Its tied up in a complex web of cultural and religious practices and beliefs,” he added.

“It’s not easy for politicians and ministers of health to quickly come out in favour of circumcision in countries where circumcision is not traditionally practiced.”

Bailey said aid organisations would not offer the service until local governments endorsed it, for fear of being seen as culturally insensitive.

WOMEN BACK CIRCUMCISION

Women in African nations are expected to be the drivers behind using circumcision to stop HIV infection as they are traditionally associated with ensuring hygiene in communities.

“Women, more than men, equate circumcision with improved hygeine,” said Bailey.

“It’s often up to women to provide the water, the soap and the materials for men to bathe and cleanse themselves. Many of the women complain the men are not as clean as they could be.”

Circumcision should not be seen by men as their only preventative measure against HIV and must still be combined with safe sex practices. Condom use should still be encouraged.

“It’s very important not to view this as a standalone surgical procedure,” said Bailey.

Many Africans were already seeking circumcision to try and stop the spread of HIV, but many were suffering medical complications because of poor procedures.

There also was some evidence that circumcision may help prevent infection between homosexual men, with one study in Uganda showing a 30 percent reduction in infection.

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68 COMMENTS

  1. I guess that’s how I have survived. I know one of my old girl friend died of Aids in 1999 but I have since tested negative on four occassions, the last one being July 2006. I kept wondering how, but maybe now it makes sense.

  2. I dont believe in such studies that do not have control studies.It will just encourage promiscuity amongst the men folk.. Only promiscius men should rush for circumcision as they would want to indulge themselves in live sex. Is 60% safety worth the risk??

  3. I hope people are not over-playing this song. I agree circumcision reduces infection transmission RATES but am not sure about 60%. Its one thing to show results in a controlled experiment and still see dismal performance once a population roll out is in place. The very environment conditioned in some of the studies i have personally seen are far from natural. The reasons for lower HIV prevalence in West Africa cant all be down to circumcision. People also need to be told the 60% reduction is GROSS, i.e. its confounded by factors these studies cant control for. Good luck!

  4. Belief in HIV prevents the understanding that AIDS in Africa is happening now because never before has poverty been so prevalent and intense as it is now in the African areas where AIDS is epidemic. The only rational way to stop the spread of the AIDS epidemic in the African continent is by finding solutions for the economic disparities that are rampant in Africa.
    AIDS in Africa is not an epidemiologic paradigm. There exists a serious crisis in the scientific methodology; currently, the problem is that epidemiologic ignorance is pandemic. Lets go back to the teaching of epidemiology to find a solution to AIDS in Africa and elsewhere.
    President Thabo Mbeki is absolutely right when he demands a scientific answer to the question:

    “Why is HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa heterosexually transmitted while in the Western world it is said to be largely homosexually transmitted?”

    I am certain that Africans will continue questioning and rejecting the ethnic fiction

  5. Nothing new in this article. Its now a fact that circumcision helps to reduce infection rates.
    However, Mr Katwishi, do not overstretch your luck. You need to use condoms too to evn reduce your chances further.Sorry thats assuming you do not want to abstain

  6. Nice testimony from Katwishi #1. But as Hey #5 has pointed out, there is need to protect ourselves by condom use. Circumcision they say is 60% a condom is 90% safe. I hope that boy who slept with that HIV+ old lady was circumcised.

  7. I beg to disagree with #5 in that these studies based their conclusions by looking at maps, high risk regions and patrons of sexually transmitted disease clinics. Other factors that could lead to high prevalences of the disease such as religon and alcohol consumption were not taken into consideration.
    A study population and controls derived from the clientele of STD clinics do not reflect the population as a whole and ii most cases introduce a population bias that may be in part responsible for the results seen. To generalise the results of studies conducted in STD clinics, one must assume that circumcised and non-circumcised men use these health facilities in the same manner. This, however, is not the case as socioeconomic and cultural factors differ between the two groups. It is possible that circumcised men exhibit different health-seeking behaviour than non-circumcised men as the case in Zambias north-western province might indicate.
    According to the Zambia demographic health…

  8. #5 I do not indulge anymore. I have been married for 14 years now and have 4 beautiful children. I guess I was just lucky knowing the 40% chance of infection. When I look back, I regret I almost wasted my life and I thank God for sparing me. As a young working man in mid 1980s to mid 1990s we had very little information on HIV/AIDS and having more than one girl friend was ‘normal’. I would be surprised if young people today are reckless given the information that is available on the disease.

  9. cont.d from #7……survey of 1998, the prevalence rate of HIV in N.Western province was low but was amongst the highest in the 2002 survey.
    Recommending routine circumcision as a prophylactic measure to prevent HIV infection in Africa, or elsewhere, is not only scientifically unfounded but also dangerous. Promoting circumcision as protection against HIV could also promote, intended or not, the inference, that a circumcised penis is adequate protection from contracting HIV, resulting in an increase in HIV infections.

  10. Ian, people are simply looking at ALL forms of protection. None of them is 100%, circumcision is one of them and certainly gives some protection. Both studies, the SA and Uganda had complex protocols but similar results. The 60% protection is therefore based on solid facts, all major medical authorities attest to this.
    Obviously 60 is NOT 100, so there are circumsised people who end up infected too. But this does NOT mean we discard scientific evidence….

  11. #10 How about the Jacob Zuma theory? Wash after sex with Ebu? or the concerned women are just interested in having long fulfilling sexual pleasures called long play-LP? All these theories are hopeless, people just need to practice self restraint and absteinance to correct things.If you are in marriage stick to your partner, and if you are not married go for VCT before marrying any bloke or lady, finito.
    HK mwaice watch out those whites you fling with in the UK, this disease there has been down played like it doesnot exist,and yet the disease is ravaging and then they blame it on immigrant blacks and eastern europeans, so pasopo mwaice, webeko nomunobe chimba ku Cardiff who was boasting of his rampage ku wales

  12. Am inclined to comment on CIRCUMCISION and HIV. I don’t blame lay persons for having their hopes raised. Circumcision does allow the Glans penis to develop a stronger and thicker skin more resistant to SIMPLE abrasions, which is as far as it will stop HIV. GENITAL ULCERS, and ABRAISIONS due to DRY SEX(herbal drying agents) unfortunately remove this apparent protective effect. But that isn’t the only problem, SEXUAL FLUIDS are exchanged during intercourse, the URETHRA the tube one pee’s and ejaculates thru is lined by a THIN mucosa which has little or no protective effect at all, hence is an entry point for HIV!! You’ll ask about the published studies, well, the East african studies have left very BIG ETHICAL questions still unanswered!! For a study to be valid, participants shud be able to weigh the risks they face, now tell me who were these HIV negative men, put in the studies, KNOWINGLY allowed themselves to be infected in the name of science. Were they given free ARV’s or money by the investigators following the studies??
    Reading thru the literature and obtaining some background knowledge of “the CIRCUMCISION LOBBY”, it has come to light that some have interests TRADITIONAL, RELIGIOUS or otherwise to advocate for its promotion. For a treatment or prevention strategy to be promoted, its efficacy shud reach a certain statistical level. Circumcision falls in the range of about 45 to 55% chance of preventing. An effective strategy shud reach a level of AT LEAST 70% and above. I leave you to judge for yourselves, for more info, google, “Circumcision and HIV/AIDS prevention”. Compare the Pro and Con comments that follow on, then educate your friends!!!

    People shud also understand, more so, those that have their status compromised, that not practising safe sex EXPOSES them to FURTHER VIRAL LOADS, hastening or quickening their failing HEALTH. So practising safe sex isn’t just about protecting others it’s about protecting ONESELF WHETHER INFECTED OR NOT!!! Always THINK b4 REACHING!! REACH FOR THE CONDOM, IT’S THE CLOSEST TO BEST PROTECTION when CELIBACY FAILS!!

    The biggest weapons we have in our fight against HIV & AIDS, are INFORMATION & EDUCATION, in how to avoid contracting them – which is nothing new!! Problem is educating ourselves over a number of issue i.e. SELF DENIAL doesn’t help us; SAFE SEX isn’t just condoms, it’s also about being responsible enough to know our own HIV status and continued adherence to safe sex. Avoiding use of HERBAL DRYING agents, which allow for increased friction & likelihood of broken genital skin & facilitating the transfer of fluids.
    PROTECTING our partners if our own status is compromised. Thinking REALLY HARD about starting a family Knowing & without knowing our status. Just think about how CRUEL and SELFISH for one to inflict this on an innocent child, YOUR OWN CHILD for that matter!! ARV’s are not a cure, users are given a chance to lead an almost normal life, I’d hope this gives impetus for more responsibility

  13. Good one! Zuma’s theory might as well help, especially that he is said to be negative, but no sane individual would advise a friend to use such unproven habits.

    Kuku, Africa is the epicenter for HIV/AIDS. Only 2 reasons can account for this, either:
    1. its the source(chimpanzee theory, american sabotage)OR
    2. Africans are more susceptible than others.

    If point 2 has any credibility, it could explain why the levels of infection are low in UK.

  14. People just take care.Am sure a life of ARVS cant be easy.Play safe,use condoms.It doesnt matter where it came from?JUST NO ITS HERE AND ITS REAL.

  15. #1 Your comment indicates that you are still practicing un safe sex. If that is the case i dont know what to say to you. Anyway Guys just condomize. Thats your best bet.

  16. Uganda reduced HIV infection drastically with behaviour change and little if any mass circumcision. And infection rates are aleady declining in many other countries including Zambia although prevalence will remain high for sometime.

    So why do we need to redirect the energy of the current prevention strategy(BCC) to something that will surely raise daunting cultural challenges for the health system. Its been a hard, long enough road to get people to use condoms and do VCT. I dont even think we have any capacity to conduct mass circumcision in our facilities where barely 40% of our babies are born.

  17. What happens when cake becomes smaller? An intelligent pangani will say circumsion reduce 60% of HIV.This is a blue and blank lie. Africans be vigilant you all finish one by one. You can reduce without cure like that. You should not be ignorant some of things are intendly to happen. Can anyone tell me how important is birth control. Today Africa is already being accused of causing more climate changes than elsewhere. ” Ati its because Africa was not industrised in the past but now they are growing very fast hence increased air pollution. Everything is blamed on Africa. So advice is look for a africa cure to eliminate AIDS or else you will all die slow but sure- The diease is known as slow punctcure isnt it. There is not safe sex anymore everyone is a suspect especially those who sit on their statistics. So many theories and the killer is doing its job. What happened to the potato medic?

  18. Easy, the risk of contracting is reduced by 60%, NOT the virus itself. Every effort to cut infection is worthy trying.
    Francis, In Uganda the rates have been going up of late, it is no longer an excellent example. Could this mean they ought to try multiple strategies, circumcision inclusive?

  19. Easy, I think Africa is always the issue as far as AIDS is concerned because thats where most of the infection is.
    All the countries with prevalencies above 10% or so are in Africa.
    First step to solve a problem is to identify it exists.

  20. All the methods of prevention should be engulfed in the fight against HIV. Male circumcision is just 1 of them. But why the prevalence is so high in Subsaharan Africa? Is is because poverty or nurture? Or both combined?

  21. #19, this 60% you are talking about should just be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. Do you know that ever since this theory was introduced in Zambia, there have been endless queues of men at UTH for this surgical operation? This is because men want to be in this category of the so-called immune individuals. People will embark on a serious crusade of unprotected sex. Mind you, these statistics are for the people going in live. The best advice is abstinance…after all, ili che!!!

  22. By the way when circumcised as an adult, you do not get the same benefit as one who was circumcised at a young age. Am sure the Doctors on this blog can offer the explanations. So please don’t go out and get circumcised and be all over the place. Abstainance eli che.

  23. Marco, the protection is the same, read bauze’s post #12 for the physiological logic behind.
    The big queues at UTH are encouraging because they show that the message is getting across. I am sure the doctors are educating these people that their circumcision is only an addition to the protection they get from the old faithful condom. If the condom protects by 90%, circumcision sretches this to say 97%. Not bad!

  24. #22 Ian mwaice, whoever has brought up this issue is out to make money,In your lifetime havent you come across a neighbour, coosin, teacher , pastor ,priest dying from this disease?Have you been to E21? desperation in people leads them to do anything just filfil their selfish motives.Awareness and experinces are enough to teach yourselves on the way forward, if you hate your self, go and pick Elina and regret in the morning.Safety nikulisunga we mwine, if you cant resist temptation condomise not walalusa nama hours pali circumsion kwati it will bring you profits equivalent to KCM.Stop it believe in yourself man and you will live life at fullest.That is why marry people you love not people you like.period.

  25. Fair enough. But the people queuing up at UTH have the best chances to even use condoms or resist risky choices. The marginal impact of hospital based circumcision will be virtually zero from a public health point of view. Right now nearly 10% of Zambian men are circumcised, the majority at villages. You need a whole enterprize of community circumcision schools to implement those recommendations from Sydney. Its not gonna be easy.

  26. In the unlikely event that you are already holding Elina, its too late to benefit from circumcision,the damage has already been done. Dont despair, you might just want to ask where she stashes her ebu.

  27. After having taught on HIV/AIDS in communities for nearly 10 years many people have expectantly been looking for the cure for years. Unfortunately, prevention still remains the best and surest way to avoid the infection. Lest we are blinded, the virus is predominant in body fluids. If this were the case abstinence is the surest way of avoiding the disease. Never ever gamble with life. And with the help of the Lord we can all make it. It is not impossible. All things are possible to whoever believes.

  28. I did not know that the ELINA MWANZA are many CHIPATA.
    Mbuye!! kodi nimwambo???

    In Chipata police have arrested a 19-year-old woman of Kapata township for allegedly defiling and infecting a three-year-and-six-month-old boy with a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Her name is Harriet Zulu. Instead of KUVITENTA Mbuye uko Chipata muviSEALING na glue. SICKENING!!SICKENING!! SICKENING!! MBUYE.

  29. #Iwe KUKU na AM

    Ma caustomer ya Elina Mwanza ya kamba chibemba I am sure KUKU na AM balipo. Mukonda yo gula.

    Stop eating those herbs which give you abnormal sexual appetites.

  30. I am not promiscuous and I will remain faithful to my Lord. But let us not discount the studies which have been made about the benefits of circumcision. Look at places where muslims or polygamous circumcised men have many wives. The rate of infection is little compared to places in southern Africa like Zambia , Zimbabwe and south africa where the majority are not circumcised. We need abstinence and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. However, circumcision can help the sexually weak to reduce the infection rate. I am not for codoms. But it is better for sexually weak to use them rather than not use them and go to hell at an early age. If they live longer, they might be confronted with the gospel of Jesus Christ and learn to abstain. I am not giving a licence for people to be promiscuous though.

  31. #Bauze
    Kindly guide me , does this perception of male circumcision in relation to reduced HIV infection also hold true for women.

    In female circumcision sometimes referred to as genital mutilation crtain parts of the female genitalia are removed this it is claimed reduces the pleasure a womoen drives from sex hence an elimination sex for pleasure in women. This it is claimed reduces promiscuity which leads to HIV.

    Should we also alongside male circumcision be advocating female circumcision due to these perception?.

    Bause please enlighten

  32. #35 Citizen the prime aim of prevention is to minimise or prevent the exchange of body fluids. Female circumcision plays no role in this. Indeed female circumcision will affect both the pre-coital as well as intra-coital stimulation of the woman, but this plays no role in reducing infection.

    HIV/AIDS statistics merely reflect sexual habits of a population as well as the MAIN FACTORS in that population that promote this transmission. Factors such as the prevalence of other sexually transmitted diseases, Genital ulcers & lacerations,use of drying agents, prevalence of premarital sex as well as unsafe sex practices. People in the Arabic/Jewish worlds have different approaches to sex/premarital relationships to ours, thus leading to a smaller reservoir of infected individuals, resulting in lower rates of infection, thus you can now appreciate how circumcision becomes a coincidence in these populations. I’ll discuss further aspects later as I have to get to work.

  33. Waona Citizen kukonda kulemela wayamba kupelekako ma sisile bako te. Ndiwe signatory ku a/c ya Elina te. Pls remember to pay tax as well to sustain ur Uncle Chuchu, inse ba Kaponya pa kulima tower tilipila tax.

  34. Why is it that they come to Africa to advocate this that and the other.Europe is on fire with Aids!!!It is just that the diet is better so slim chaps and gals are fewer.Look at the Hollywood stars and celebrities…when they slim down they are quick to say anorexia etc etc…the reality is that they are afflicted but becoz they eat well it will take longer to be apparent.
    Let us be very careful of the advice everyone wants to give us Africans……..they are experimenting with an abundant resource…us!! just use condoms like they do..let them circumcise Europe and let us see!!

  35. #36 Bauze so you mean those nurses and a doctor were practicing sex with small children. Huhu I have always said oir forefathers have lived in this continent and married more than one wife and they had 20, 30, children and no one die of slow puncture. As much as we know that Aids is among us so its cardinal to find the root cause and solution to it. It will finish us all you can imagine the kind of stress that is mounted every time you want to have sex with your partner. HIV virus, Ibola, Hamburg virus are all said to come from Congo. Why did the west transported these virus into their territories. What interest has someone to keep bllod of aperson who died in 1959. African researchers should take an up hand in search for a solution of HIV. I repeat what the UK Professor said yesterday, ” We have to do familly planing in order to save the earth of climate change. Too many people are produce CO2 its only reducing this substances can the world be saved.

  36. Ba Francis(39),among those who have embraced the west i am quite high up on the list..believe you me!! your comment is appreciated and i would agree a “little bit” of resentment did come out there!!Maybe it is more annoyance of these chaps always telling us what is good for us.I’ll try to maintain objectivity in future submissions!!

  37. #41 I agree with you to the extent that we are having far too many experimental projects on our continent. anger is normal. So vigilance is important.

  38. white man wants to wipe us out.much as circumsicion reduces the risk of HIV infection the whole issue is being hundled careleslly.by this i mean it might incourage people to get cicumsiced with the whole aim of indulging in unsafe sex.or it may incourage even the abstening guys who r cicumsiced to start feeling very safe and sleep anyhow.i think its all a white mans propaganda,he has seen that the infection rates are now reducing so he wants to find a way to sell his ARVs.i have lived in europe for almost 5years and the sex here is nothing compared to the one back home.i mean almost everyone is doing it.but how come it is us with HIV rates that keep on going up.one would urgue that they play it safe here, but hey! go see for yoself especially in resting places like black sea,ibisa and all.u can sleep with anyone as long as u want and fun enough without a price.BUT why is it that HIV only affects us AFRICA.i strongly believe thres something behind the whole issue

  39. FK you should have read my #13 posting. No doubt, the west are by far more promiscuous than africa.
    Please research on CCDR5 receptors. These receptors are found on cells of people of African descent and almost non-existent in Caucasians.
    HIV infects cell using many different receptors chief among them is CCDR5.
    Two things can be said based on this background; either africans are just unlucky to have this CCDR5 universally OR when the ‘americans’ designed this ‘biological’ weapon, HIV, they made it in such a way that it has got highest affinty for CCDR5 nowing that this receptor is purely an african affair.

  40. Race-specific HIV-1 disease-modifying effects associated with CCR5 haplotypes.
    Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999; 96(21):12004-9 (ISSN: 0027-8424)

    Gonzalez E ; Bamshad M ; Sato N ; Mummidi S ; Dhanda R ; Catano G ; Cabrera S ; McBride M ; Cao XH ; Merrill G ; O’Connell P ; Bowden DW ; Freedman BI ; Anderson SA ; Walter EA ; Evans JS ; Stephan KT ; Clark RA ; Tyagi S ; Ahuja SS ; Dolan MJ ; Ahuja SK
    Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA.

    Genetic variation in CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), the major HIV-1 coreceptor, has been shown to influence HIV-1 transmission and disease progression. However, it is generally assumed that the same CCR5 genotype (or haplotype) has similar phenotypic effects in different populations. To test this assumption, we used an evolutionary-based classification of CCR5 haplotypes to determine their associated HIV-1 disease-modifying effects in a large well-characterized racially mixed cohort of HIV-1-seropositive individuals. We demonstrate that the spectrum of CCR5 haplotypes associated with disease acceleration or retardation differs between African Americans and Caucasians. Also, we show that there is a strong interactive effect between CCR5 haplotypes with different evolutionary histories. The striking population-specific phenotypic effects associated with CCR5 haplotypes emphasize the importance of understanding the evolutionary context in which disease susceptibility genes are expressed.

  41. Sorry, what i called CCDR5 in posting #44 should actually read ‘CCR5 delta32’.It is the polymorphism common in Africa. Others have other types of CCR5 which are less fatal in terms of HIV1.

  42. Friends read this its an article I got from a Singapore newspaper in 1997. It reads They know they´re going to die…. All they want to do is spread Aids. Aids -stricken teenagers in South Africa´s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province are deliberately infecting others. Why? Because they don´t want to suffer and die alone. Some men are even raping women to spread the disease, the sunday independent newspaper said. It quoted a study conducted by a lecturer in biological anthropology at the University of Durban-Westville. “You know you will be rejected, you know you are going to die. All you can do is go off and spread (Aids). “Its your only hope,knowing won´t die alone”, one youth told the researchers. This is the kind of reporting in the world outside about Africa.

  43. Children infected with HIV may require repeated measles vaccination to gain adequate protection, according to new research.The study in Zambia — published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases next week (1 August) — found that compared with healthy children, HIV-infected children were less able to maintain protective levels of antibodies against measles after an initial vaccination. Remember the debate on vaccine and what I said.The researchers studied the immune response to the measles vaccine in 696 healthy and HIV-infected children, aged 2-8 months.Within six months of measles vaccination at nine months of age, 88 per cent of HIV-infected children developed protective antibody levels, as did 94 per cent of children who did not have HIV.But after a further 27 months, only half of the surviving HIV-infected children maintained antibody levels high enough to protect against measles, versus almost 90 per cent of healthy children.The results of the study show that..

  44. ctd… that sufficient resources must be invested in maintaining high levels of population immunity against measles in regions of high HIV prevalence, says Moss.The World Health Organization already recommends vaccinating children for measles a second time, either through repeated immunisation campaigns or a routine second dose delivered through the primary healthcare system.

  45. Easy, thanks for this. I saw this paper based on chawama clinic. The one thing the study didnt do is to remove the confounding effect of nutritional/socio-economic or underlying health status between these two groups of kids. They measured child growth and their results indicate that children who were HIV+ also had significantly poorer underlying health (HIV+ were more stunted).
    They also admit sub-clinical measles may have been possible in some children before the study started.
    Good study though

  46. Iwe, eastern power yenda utendewe, even at 80 it will stil be ok. Kabili ngati yabooka, ninshi usalako na chance.

  47. B man…. zoona mudala.. i will go ahead and set an appointment with one of the luvale chaps i work with? i might reach 80 like yourself..! cheers

  48. #44 Hey, CCR5delta 32 is a receptor on CD4 cells, it is expressed in both Africans & caucasians, the difference being, in caucasians it doesn’t penetrate from inside outwards to the surface of the cells, whilst in africans this receptor is expressed to the surface allowing for the attachment of HIV, thus making us susceptible. Looking through the literature,
    there are very few studies done in africa to determine the true prevalence of CCR5delta32
    (actually a deletion of the gene accounting for the none penetration outwards of the receptor). It is mostly found in people with Finnish/Nordic descent. The few african studies have been in Cameroun, the rest of the studies were done in americans of black descent. What brought about the deletion still remains a matter for speculation, it is thus just a coincident finding in the search for a way of targeting the virus, I doubt a preplanned “biological targeting” concept.

  49. #48/49 Easy the study you have quoted highlights a very important point – which has been noted by WHO, though I think this information has been misapplied in that the recommendation has been repeated immunization of HIV children. It is so obvious that these kids, with the progression of the disease will be unable to hold any immunity, thus to a certain extent making the whole process futile, what would make much more sense would be to protect these kids from Measles BY REDUCING THE RESERVOIR OF MEASLES IN HIV-NEGATIVE CHILDREN in the general population – by vaccinating them, an effort that produces a positive outcome becoz these kids do indeed develop immunity thus reducing the INFECTIVE RESERVOIR. I believe this would be a better approach, would cost less becoz you don’t have to carry out the ineffective repeat immunizations that are being advocated.

  50. #40 Easy, I’m really not in a position to comment on the story, I presume you are referring to the Libyan case of the doc from Palestine & the Romanian nurses. I simply don’t have enough information to come to any conclusion of what went on. They themselves have said the truth will come out, we will just have to wait.

  51. Did someone say there are long queues at UTH these days of men waiting their turn to be circumcised in order to eventually get a tough skin on the glans. But what is the measure of this toughness in terms of time? Is it one week,a month, two months, a year after the circumcision op or what? It seems to me that this is still a grey area. Can someone shed more light on the waiting period.

  52. It is indeed a very grey area, but I wouldn’t encourage you to bank your life on it! Better for one to stick to current advice on safe sex rather than play Russian roulette – becoz as indicated earlier, the studies that gave rise to the circumcision advice, still leave MAJOR ETHICAL QUESTIONS UNANSWERED, thus really very unsound advice!

  53. Imwe bane why should sex bother you?There are better things in life than sex.Get married if you are not and enjoy full blown sex like shikapwasha said than worrying about unfounded proofs of circumcision.People who are sicklers(sickle cell anaemia) all these theories are not applicable, so their are more cons than pros.So do some self assessement and if in doubt go for VCT to know your status and start living positively.

  54. #59 Kuku, this is not a sex thread with pipo just discussing sex, we are discussing a disease. Do you have issues with sex? e.g.Erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation, etc?? Just feel free to discuss your problems, there lots of heads around & I’m sure we will all be happy to help!

  55. whereas i have attended seminars on Cucumcision , i am yet to hear what the benefits of the foreskin are???its like all the talks are promoting the removal but what are the advantages of the foreskin on the Penis?????????????????????

  56. Ndife #61, I never thought of that before. Basically, foreskin has no known function or advantage and thats how it can be removed with impunity.
    #54 Bauze, I agree with you totally! CCR5, are all receptors, they vary depending on the genetic make-up of the individual. I’ve tried to avoid jargon like haplotypes,polymorphism to avoid further confusion

  57. #61 Ndife, the foreskin is not prostigial( that is to say it has no function) it does have a function, which is to cover the glans penis, preventing it from developing a thickened skin which dampens the sensitivity of the glans, thus reduces the excitation in the male, thus circumcised males have to really work at it to become sexually stimulated than someone not circumcised, just like in female circumcision, takes much longer to excite the circumcised female, simply becoz the nerve receptors are removed in the female, whilst for the male , they are covered by a hardened skin, similar to what one obtains when they are bare footed for a while!

  58. #60 Bauze Ngozi, hahahahahahaha,ine nalikwata ba Dr Ronnie Shikapwasha eko inja when Iam in need of remedy.He is a good herbal man, not imwe baice abena Bauze mulelendafye pali circumcision,so nomba with the effects given in #63 why get bothered mwaice Ndife?
    You see Bauze, when you read between lines people asking on this topic appear to have a hidden motive, if say the survival rate was put at 80%, the number of queues at UTH,Kitwe and Ndola Central will be like those we used to see pa ZCBC na Mwaiseni lining up for sugar and ebu.So naiwe Bauze ingolefwaya uku tu joina mwiteam lyabena Ronnie you are most welcome.Have alot of sex at home, that is it, all these fallacies will be bygones.Buy your wife alot of sex clothes and you will add alot of flavour to your relation, pantu some of you your wives still wear ‘mother care’ when you plot2 are in g-fimofimo or thongs, ku balance ama equations.

  59. SINGLES AND THE YOUTH- ABSTAIN !
    MARRIED- BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR SPOUSES. THIS IS THE ONLY PREVENTIVE MEASURE OR ELSE THIS WORL WILL PERISH!

  60. #65. You can give examples of how effective preaching such abstract ideas of faithfulness and abstinence have been in preventing transmission at a big scale.

    According to Demographic Health Survey 2002;
    -48% Zambian women agree that a husband is justified to beat his wife for refusing sex
    -13% Zambian women had slept with a person other than their husband during previous year WITHOUT using condoms(You could guess the male ratio for yourself. Glad the surveys are anonymous)
    -24% women didnt engage in sex before marriage(76% non-abstaining rate)
    -Modal age at first intercourse for women is 15 years
    -38% women think we shouldnt teach children about condoms

  61. #65 Francis it is good that you have highlighted data which will give everyone food for thought, & also that the primary reason for data is to draw attention for something to be done. However you would have done more justice to the case by presenting comparative data to show that either the methods employed or the message against HIV/AIDS was futile – however very much to the contrary, this thankfully is not the case: google:HIV/AIDS indicators report – Zambia 1992 to 2003. Few highlights from this report are as follows: Sexual behaviour survey: A] Support for Condom teaching – Females(F)56% Males(M)68% B] Knowledge of Condom sources(ages 15-24yr) F75% M78%C]Reduction in HIV stigmatisation F24%(18% in 2000) M29%(21% in 2000) D]Willing to care for HIV relative F90%(86% in 1998) M90%(84% in 1998) E]Knowledge of HIV prevention methods F63%(60% in 2000) M69%(66% in 2000) F]Prevention by condom use F71%(57% in 98) M77%(67% in 98) G]Prevention with single partner F85%(82% in 97) M87%

  62. I’m in agreement with you. Overall the stats indicate that we still got a some way to go in embracing HIV as a normal health condition. The SBS and DHS are both respectable population based surveys but are slightly different in survey methods. I see too many variations in data reported by different sources that am often sceptical unless i understand exactly how the data were collected and processed. E.g. most of the UN AIDS stats have all turned out upwardly biased. Even WHO mortality data from different sources give you widely different trends.

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