Circumcision may not reduce gay HIV risk, study finds

Research has found that among men who have sex with men, circumcision did not significantly lower the risk of contracting HIV.

Published in the journal AIDS, the study followed 1,800 homosexual men with the herpes 2 virus over a year and a half. The pre-existing infection reportedly put them at higher risk for contracting HIV.

Among uncircumcised men, 5 percent contracted HIV during the study, compared to 4 percent of circumcised men. The study’s authors said the difference was statistically negligible.

They concluded that the procedure appeared to have no effect on male-to-male HIV transmission, recommending that health officials emphasize the importance of protected sex and screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Those who suspect they have contracted an STD, even if they have no symptoms, may consider looking into online testing services.

Men who have sex with men account for 53 percent of the HIV infections reported yearly in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.