The circumcision may prevent AIDS, study says

The circumcision could avert about six million HIV infections and three million deaths in sub-Saharan Africa over the next 20 years. The findings build on research, published in 2005, that suggested circumcision reduced HIV infection risk in heterosexual men by about 60%, BBC News reports.

Photo: The circumcision may prevent AIDS, study says

Researchers from the World Health Organization believe that widespread male circumcision in Africa could prevent 2 million new HIV infections and 300,000 deaths over the next 10 years. They now believe that making circumcision more common could dramatically cut the impact of HIV and AIDS on Africa. Over 20 years, they estimate the number of lives saved would top 1.6 million, perhaps reaching nearly 6 million. These results were published this week in the Public Library of Sciences Medicine, according to the ABC.