While male circumcision is not a replacement for other known methods of HIV prevention, it should be considered as part of a comprehensive prevention strategy.

Earlier studies had shown that the procedure reduces both prevalence and incidence in men, and observations had suggested it might have a beneficial effect in women, Tobian and colleagues noted.

The cumulative incidence of HIV infection over 42 months among circumcised men was 2.6% as compared to 7.4% among controls, the researchers observed.