Male circumcision and the risk of gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV and human papillomavirus among men in Tanzania

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Tina B. Olesen
  • Christian Munk
  • Julius Mwaiselage
  • Crispin Kahesa
  • Vibeke Rasch
  • Kirsten Frederiksen
  • Thomas Iftner
  • Kjær, Susanne Krüger

To examine the association between male circumcision and the risk of gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV and high-risk (hr) human papillomavirus (HPV). We used data from a cross-sectional study conducted among 1902 men in Tanzania. Circumcision status was assessed at a clinical examination and history of gonorrhoea and syphilis was obtained from questionnaire data. Penile samples were tested for HPV using Hybrid Capture 2 and genotyped by the INNO-LiPA HPV Genotyping Extra test. Blood samples were tested for HIV. Using logistic regression the association between male circumcision and gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV and hr HPV was assessed estimating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). All analyses were adjusted for age and lifetime number of sexual partners. In the multivariable analysis, the odds of gonorrhoea were lower in circumcised men compared with uncircumcised men (OR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.37–0.74). Likewise, the odds of HIV were considerably lower in circumcised men (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.26–0.67). Furthermore, lower odds of hr HPV were seen in circumcised men compared with uncircumcised men, although not statistically significant (OR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.56–1.17). Finally, the odds of HPV16 (OR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.23–0.98) and multiple (≥2) hr HPV types (OR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.44–1.12) were lower in circumcised men than in uncircumcised men. Circumcised men have a significantly lower risk of gonorrhoea, HIV and HPV16, compared with uncircumcised men.

Original languageEnglish
JournalInternational Journal of STD and AIDS
Volume30
Issue number14
Pages (from-to)1408-1416
Number of pages9
ISSN0956-4624
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

    Research areas

  • gonorrhoea, HIV, human papillomavirus, Male circumcision, syphilis, Tanzania

ID: 235593849