a small study published in the scientific journal European Urology Focus found evidence that circumcision (the removal of the skin covering the head of the penis, called the foreskin) can alter the abundance and composition of fungal bacteria naturally present in the organ.
The researchers noted that after surgery, some of the bacterial communities that shrank were associated with inflammation and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In practice, this means that circumcision could reduce the risk of catching STIs and limit inflammation in penile tissues.
The study, published on December 22, 2022, was carried out by scientists from some American universities and India and involved 11 children.
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However, there are several discussions whether in fact the practice can prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections.
Old debate, same impasse
Although there are few data and controlled studies on circumcision, theories that the surgery protects against STIs have been circulating since at least the 1800s, according to the scientists.
Since then, numerous observational studies and a few randomized controlled trials over the years have found evidence to suggest that circumcision may protect men from some infections to some extent.
In the 2000s, for example, scientists proposed that the practice protected against inflammation and HIV infection by altering the penile microbiome.
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However, there are numerous factors that influence human health and many others that control viral and bacterial spread. Many of these studies were conducted among heterosexual adult men in developing nations. It remains unclear whether the same results hold for all countries or for gay or queer men.
But in 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics in the United States reviewed the literature on circumcision and concluded that current evidence indicates that the male health benefits of circumcision in newborns outweigh the risks.
Scientists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledge that circumcision can partially protect against HIV, but at the same time point out the lack of consistent arguments to suggest that surgery can reduce transmission of the virus among the gay community and queer.
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