Circumcision for phimosis and other medical indications in Western Australian boys

Morris, Brian J

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05370.x

Topics

To the Editor: The article by Spilsbury et al starts well by acknowledging at least some of the serious health consequences of not circumcising,1 but then digresses into a study of whether a particular medical reason for circumcision — namely phimosis early in life — has been overstated in medical records.

Correspondence:

1. Spilsbury K, Semmens JB, Wisniewski ZS, Holman CDJ. Circumcision for phimosis and other medical indications in Western Australian boys. Med J Aust 2003; 178: 155-158. <eMJA full text>
2. Morris BJ. Benefits of circumcision: medical, health and sexual. Available at: http://www.circinfo.net (accessed May 2003).
3. Schoen EJ, Colby CJ, Ray GT. Newborn circumcision decreases the incidence and costs of urinary tract infections during the first year of life. Pediatrics 2000 105: 789-793.
4. Wiswell TE. The prepuce, urinary tract infections, and the consequences. Pediatrics 2000; 105: 860-862.
5. Schoen EJ. Neonatal circumcision and penile cancer. Evidence that circumcision is protective is overwhelming. BMJ 1996; 46: 313.
6. Castellsague X, Bosch FX, Munoz N, et al. Male circumcision, penile human papillomavirus infection, and cervical cancer in female partners. N Engl J Med 2002; 346: 1105-1112.
7. Quinn TC, Wawer MJ, Sewankambo N, et al. Viral load and heterosexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. N Engl J Med 2000; 342: 921-929.
8. Weiss HA, Quigley MA, Hayes RJ. Male circumcision and risk of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. AIDS 2000; 14: 2361-2370.
9. Patterson BK, Landy A, Siegel JN, et al. Susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection of human foreskin and cervical tissue grown in explant culture. Am J Pathol 2002; 161: 867-873.
10. Williamson ML, Williamson PS. Women's preferences for penile circumcision in sexual partners. J Sex Educ Hlth 1988; 14: 8-12.

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