HIV: male circumcision could prevent deaths in sub-Saharan Africa

Male circumcision could prevent three million HIV-related deaths and 5.7 million new infections in the next 20 years in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a study published in PLoS Medicine.

While a U.S. study presented at CROI conference in Denver showed a 30% reduction in the risk of transmission between men and women, a French work was published about him suggested a 60% reduction in the risk of transmission in the other direction, the woman to the man.

The study, led by Brian Williams, the World Health Organization (WHO), and colleagues, presents estimates of the number of new infections and deaths that could be avoided if the practice was extended to all Sub-Saharan Africa.

Among the co-authors of this work include in particular the coordinator of the French study, Dr. Bertran Auvert, a researcher at Inserm unit U687 (Saint-Maurice, Val-de-Marne).

According to this article, if all men were circumcised SSA 2015, two million new HIV infections could be averted over the period 2005-2015, 3.7 million between 2015 and 2025 and 4.4 million between 2025 and 2035 .

As for deaths related to HIV, circumcision would prevent 300,000 in the first decade. The effect is strongly accelerate thereafter, with 2.7 million and 4.9 million less than expected during the next two decades digits.

The preventive effect was particularly marked in countries where the prevalence of HIV infection is high and circumcision is not a traditional practice, as it is in West Africa, less affected by the epidemic.

South Africa could thus save 500,000, 900,000 and one million new infections over the past three decades, as well as 100,000, 700,000 and 1.2 million deaths, respectively.

According to the authors, the generalization of such a practice would allow some countries, including South Africa, to meet the Millennium Development Goals, which include stopping the spread of HIV / AIDS and begin to reverse the trend by 2015.

"This objective analysis clearly that male circumcision could have an immediate impact on the transmission of HIV," but in terms of prevalence and mortality, it is fully apparent that "from 10 to 15 years later," commented the researchers.

However, they have stated that "the most immediate priority is the need to keep HIV alive through the provision of antiretroviral while work is underway to find ways of prevention such as male circumcision or other "as a possible vaccine.