Circumcision & HIV - was Another example of something thought to be infectious
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:10 pm
At 03:42 PM 1/25/2007 -0000, you wrote:
Because it was on TV and they showed the above? Come on.
All epidemiology studies are suspect, #1
http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/HIV/
http://www.infocirc.org/medical.htm
AIDS: Circumcision has been promoted as a means of reducing the risk for
infection with the HIV virus. Some early studies showing a correlation
between HIV infection and the presence of a prepuce relied on outdated
African anthropological data, and did not actually verify the circumcision
status of any men in the study. Because of the structure of many of these
studies, they can show only correlations but not causation. As anyone who
has studied basic research methods or epidemiology knows “correlation does
not imply causation.” An example of a correlation would be that SAT test
scores correlate with race. This does not necessarily imply that race
determines test scores. There may be other factors at work (such as
socioeconomic status or educational experience) which correlate with and
help to determine both of the other factors.
While some studies found a positive correlation between lack of
circumcision and HIV status, several other studies found the exact opposite
— a higher HIV risk in circumcised men. It seems that the ethnic and
socioeconomic circumstances of different groups are related to both the
likelihood of circumcision, as well as the likelihood of HIV infection. A
recent meta-analysis published in the medical journal International Journal
of STD and AIDS concludes:
When the raw data are combined, a man with a circumcised penis is at
greater risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV than a man with a
non-circumcised penis (odds ratio (OR)=1.06, 95% confidence interval
(CI)=1.01-1.12). Based on the studies published to date, recommending
routine circumcision as a prophylactic measure to prevent HIV infection in
Africa, or elsewhere, is scientifically unfounded. (Van Howe RS.
Circumcision and HIV infection: review of the literature and meta-analysis.
Int J STD AIDS 1999;10:8-16)
The U.S. HIV incidence rate is 3.5 times higher than that of the closest
advanced industrialized nation according to World Heath Organization data
from 1995. The U.S. also has the highest circumcision rate of any of these
countries. Clearly, if HIV transmission is related to lack of circumcision,
this finding would not be expected. Could circumcision be a risk factor for
HIV infection? A letter published in The American Family Physician states:
If linear regression analysis is applied to the relationship between
circumcision rates and the prevalence of acquired immunodeficency syndrome
in industrialized countries (using 1994 World Health Organization data) and
weighted for population, a strongly positive correlation between
circumcision and the prevalence of AIDS is found. While this does not prove
that circumcision is a risk factor for AIDS, it is clear that the
circumcision experiment in the United States did not prevent the spread of
the infection. (Storms MR. AAFP Fact Sheet on neonatal circumcision: a need
for updating. Am Fam Physician 1996;54(4):1216-17).
Recently, there has been evidence that the foreskin may have an
immunological function in the prevention of infection, by virtue of the
presence of Langerhans cells (specialized cells of the immune system) as
well as by the production of lysozyme (an enzyme which destroys bacterial
cell walls and which is found in various secretions including tears and
milk) and cathepsin B, neutrophil elastase, cytokine (a non-antibody
protein that generates an immune response on contact with specific
antigens). (Fleiss P, Hodges F, Van Howe RS. Immunological functions of the
human prepuce. Sex Trans Inf 1998;74:364-367)
http://www.circumstitions.com/HIV.html#hetero
http://www.circumstitions.com/News23.html#moputu
http://www.circumstitions.com/News23.html#swazi
http://www.circumstitions.com/News22.html#toronto
HIV prevalence is not necessarily lower in populations that have higher
male circumcision rates, according to findings from a study of African
countries presented here at the 16th International AIDS Conference (AIDS
2006).
http://www.circumstitions.com/News22.html#colloquium
Speaking at the colloquium organised by the Perinatal HIV Research Unit in
conjunction with the Department of Surgery at Chris Hani Baragwanath
Hospital, he said that while the Orange Farm study found fewer circumcised
men contracted HIV in the time-span of the study, the epidemiological
impacts of ‘lifetime risk’ - whether circumcised or not - are unclear.
http://www.hivsa.com/pdf/circumcision/reality_check.pdf
"Reality Check" Dr Warren Parker of the Centre for AIDS Development,
Research and Evaluation, points out that most men in the Eastern Cape are
circumcised, being of the Xhosa people, yet the Eastern Cape does not stand
out in its HIV prevalence.
http://www.circumstitions.com/News20.html#hiv-female
Male circumcision protects women from AIDS: study
[This is absolutely false and a complete garbling of the facts: ]
see webpage
The trial was carried out in Gauteng province in South Africa among men
aged 18-24 years and was funded by the French Agence Nationale de
Recherches sur le SIDA (ANRS).
Although the trial shows promising protective effects of adult male
circumcision in reducing HIV acquisition [only by males, and only from
heterosexual intercourse], UNAIDS emphasizes that more research is needed
to confirm the reproducibility of the findings of this trial and whether or
not the results have more general application.
http://www.circumstitions.com/News12.html#oz-hiv
http://www.circumstitions.com/STDs.html
Circumcision and
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
http://www.circumstitions.com/News12.html#ethiopia
ETHIOPIA: Circumcision abandoned to prevent HIV infection
http://www.circumstitions.com/News11.html#sandiego
Another Non-random HIV Correlation
http://www.circumstitions.com/News10.html#capetown
http://www.circumstitions.com/News9.html#philippines
http://www.circumstitions.com/News7.html#kenya-study
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath
Well Within & Earth Mysteries & Sacred Site Tours (worldwide)
Vaccination Information & Choice Network
http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm
http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/homeo.htm
homeopathycures@tesco.net
ONLINE Introduction to Homeopathy Classes - next ones January 2007
ONLINE Introduction to Vaccine Dangers Classes - next ones January 2007
ONLINE Intro to Diseases - Risk, Reality & Alternative Treatment next ones
January 2007
Voicemail US 530-740-0561 UK phone from US 011-44-1874-624-936
Because it was on TV and they showed the above? Come on.
All epidemiology studies are suspect, #1
http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/HIV/
http://www.infocirc.org/medical.htm
AIDS: Circumcision has been promoted as a means of reducing the risk for
infection with the HIV virus. Some early studies showing a correlation
between HIV infection and the presence of a prepuce relied on outdated
African anthropological data, and did not actually verify the circumcision
status of any men in the study. Because of the structure of many of these
studies, they can show only correlations but not causation. As anyone who
has studied basic research methods or epidemiology knows “correlation does
not imply causation.” An example of a correlation would be that SAT test
scores correlate with race. This does not necessarily imply that race
determines test scores. There may be other factors at work (such as
socioeconomic status or educational experience) which correlate with and
help to determine both of the other factors.
While some studies found a positive correlation between lack of
circumcision and HIV status, several other studies found the exact opposite
— a higher HIV risk in circumcised men. It seems that the ethnic and
socioeconomic circumstances of different groups are related to both the
likelihood of circumcision, as well as the likelihood of HIV infection. A
recent meta-analysis published in the medical journal International Journal
of STD and AIDS concludes:
When the raw data are combined, a man with a circumcised penis is at
greater risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV than a man with a
non-circumcised penis (odds ratio (OR)=1.06, 95% confidence interval
(CI)=1.01-1.12). Based on the studies published to date, recommending
routine circumcision as a prophylactic measure to prevent HIV infection in
Africa, or elsewhere, is scientifically unfounded. (Van Howe RS.
Circumcision and HIV infection: review of the literature and meta-analysis.
Int J STD AIDS 1999;10:8-16)
The U.S. HIV incidence rate is 3.5 times higher than that of the closest
advanced industrialized nation according to World Heath Organization data
from 1995. The U.S. also has the highest circumcision rate of any of these
countries. Clearly, if HIV transmission is related to lack of circumcision,
this finding would not be expected. Could circumcision be a risk factor for
HIV infection? A letter published in The American Family Physician states:
If linear regression analysis is applied to the relationship between
circumcision rates and the prevalence of acquired immunodeficency syndrome
in industrialized countries (using 1994 World Health Organization data) and
weighted for population, a strongly positive correlation between
circumcision and the prevalence of AIDS is found. While this does not prove
that circumcision is a risk factor for AIDS, it is clear that the
circumcision experiment in the United States did not prevent the spread of
the infection. (Storms MR. AAFP Fact Sheet on neonatal circumcision: a need
for updating. Am Fam Physician 1996;54(4):1216-17).
Recently, there has been evidence that the foreskin may have an
immunological function in the prevention of infection, by virtue of the
presence of Langerhans cells (specialized cells of the immune system) as
well as by the production of lysozyme (an enzyme which destroys bacterial
cell walls and which is found in various secretions including tears and
milk) and cathepsin B, neutrophil elastase, cytokine (a non-antibody
protein that generates an immune response on contact with specific
antigens). (Fleiss P, Hodges F, Van Howe RS. Immunological functions of the
human prepuce. Sex Trans Inf 1998;74:364-367)
http://www.circumstitions.com/HIV.html#hetero
http://www.circumstitions.com/News23.html#moputu
http://www.circumstitions.com/News23.html#swazi
http://www.circumstitions.com/News22.html#toronto
HIV prevalence is not necessarily lower in populations that have higher
male circumcision rates, according to findings from a study of African
countries presented here at the 16th International AIDS Conference (AIDS
2006).
http://www.circumstitions.com/News22.html#colloquium
Speaking at the colloquium organised by the Perinatal HIV Research Unit in
conjunction with the Department of Surgery at Chris Hani Baragwanath
Hospital, he said that while the Orange Farm study found fewer circumcised
men contracted HIV in the time-span of the study, the epidemiological
impacts of ‘lifetime risk’ - whether circumcised or not - are unclear.
http://www.hivsa.com/pdf/circumcision/reality_check.pdf
"Reality Check" Dr Warren Parker of the Centre for AIDS Development,
Research and Evaluation, points out that most men in the Eastern Cape are
circumcised, being of the Xhosa people, yet the Eastern Cape does not stand
out in its HIV prevalence.
http://www.circumstitions.com/News20.html#hiv-female
Male circumcision protects women from AIDS: study
[This is absolutely false and a complete garbling of the facts: ]
see webpage
The trial was carried out in Gauteng province in South Africa among men
aged 18-24 years and was funded by the French Agence Nationale de
Recherches sur le SIDA (ANRS).
Although the trial shows promising protective effects of adult male
circumcision in reducing HIV acquisition [only by males, and only from
heterosexual intercourse], UNAIDS emphasizes that more research is needed
to confirm the reproducibility of the findings of this trial and whether or
not the results have more general application.
http://www.circumstitions.com/News12.html#oz-hiv
http://www.circumstitions.com/STDs.html
Circumcision and
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
http://www.circumstitions.com/News12.html#ethiopia
ETHIOPIA: Circumcision abandoned to prevent HIV infection
http://www.circumstitions.com/News11.html#sandiego
Another Non-random HIV Correlation
http://www.circumstitions.com/News10.html#capetown
http://www.circumstitions.com/News9.html#philippines
http://www.circumstitions.com/News7.html#kenya-study
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath
Well Within & Earth Mysteries & Sacred Site Tours (worldwide)
Vaccination Information & Choice Network
http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm
http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/homeo.htm
homeopathycures@tesco.net
ONLINE Introduction to Homeopathy Classes - next ones January 2007
ONLINE Introduction to Vaccine Dangers Classes - next ones January 2007
ONLINE Intro to Diseases - Risk, Reality & Alternative Treatment next ones
January 2007
Voicemail US 530-740-0561 UK phone from US 011-44-1874-624-936