Abstract
Objectives: To determine if circumcision in early childhood affects the risk of acquiring herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) infection.
Study Design: Study members were born in 1972/73 in Dunedin, New Zealand. Circumcision status was sought at age 3, when the cohort was established. Information about sexual behaviour was obtained at ages 21 and 26. Serum was tested for HSV-2 antibodies at age 26 for 435 men (82.9% of the surviving cohort).
Results: Of eligible men, 40.2% had been circumcised. The prevalence of HSV-2 antibodies was 7.3% in uncircumcised men and 7.4% in circumcised men. Social and sexual factors were very similar between the two groups and adjustment had no effect on the association (odds ratio=1.1, 95% CI 0.46-2.5). Seroconversion rates according to years since first sexual intercourse were 0.85 and 0.86 per 100 person-years for uncircumcised and circumcised men.
Conclusion: The results support a lack of association between circumcision status and HSV-2 acquisition, although a small effect cannot be ruled out.