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Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision to Reduce HIV Acquisition and Transmission

  • Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision: Progress and Challenges (S Vermund, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This commentary introduces the special Global Health Section on the state of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) programs and current knowledge as to role of VMMC prevention of HIV infection acquisition in men and, indirectly, women.

Recent Findings

Since the first clinical trial of VMMC in Africa was published in 2005, implementation of programs has depended on illuminating best practices and key obstacles in the effort to expand VMMC in areas of high HIV prevalence to reduce HIV acquisition among men, with consequent benefits that uninfected men will not infect others. Global efforts are focused on sub-Saharan Africa, given the favorable expected impact of VMMC deployment where HIV incidence is high and circumcision rates are low.

Summary

With estimated field effectiveness estimated to exceed 60%, reduced HIV risk for circumcised men in sub-Saharan Africa based on a once-only minor surgical intervention provides extraordinary preventive benefits. Where high VMMC rates have been achieved, declining HIV incidence rates may be partially or substantially attributed to VMMC, but this remains to be investigated. Articles in this special section address achievements, obstacles and risks, and plans for future progress in partnership with affected communities.

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References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Funding

The author is supported in part by the National Institutes of Health grants P30MH062294 and UM1AI068619.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA

    Sten H. Vermund

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  1. Sten H. Vermund
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Correspondence to Sten H. Vermund.

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Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by the author.

Conflict of Interest

The author declares no competing interests.

HIV human immunodeficiency virus, STI sexually transmitted infection.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision: Progress and Challenges

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Vermund, S.H. Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision to Reduce HIV Acquisition and Transmission. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 19, 471–473 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11904-022-00631-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11904-022-00631-z

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