http://www.wisdomofwhores.com/2007/12/12/to-snip-or-not-to-snip-the-circumcision-dilemma/ Of sex and science. Elizabeth Pisani's blog about HIV and other sundry things. Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:44:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 http://www.wisdomofwhores.com/2007/12/12/to-snip-or-not-to-snip-the-circumcision-dilemma/#comment-423 David Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:32:44 +0000 http://www.wisdomofwhores.com/2007/12/12/to-snip-or-not-to-snip-the-circumcision-dilemma/#comment-423 Unfortunately, you repeat the nonsense about Langerhans cells being the cellular entry way for HIV. In fact, the Langerhans cells produce Langerin, which is a barrier to HIV. HIV can overcome the inhibitive functions of the Langerin protein by sheer numbers and thereby gains entry. The problem is one of boosting the production of Langerin, not crudely cutting off the foreskin to get a hardened, drier surface. See the de Witte study on this issue <a href="http://www.circumcisionandhiv.com/files/de_Witte_2007.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a> [pdf warning]. Unfortunately, you repeat the nonsense about Langerhans cells being the cellular entry way for HIV. In fact, the Langerhans cells produce Langerin, which is a barrier to HIV. HIV can overcome the inhibitive functions of the Langerin protein by sheer numbers and thereby gains entry. The problem is one of boosting the production of Langerin, not crudely cutting off the foreskin to get a hardened, drier surface. See the de Witte study on this issue here [pdf warning].

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