Response to 'Herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) assay specificity and male circumcision to reduce HSV-2 acquisition

摘要

In response to the letter from Tobian et al. [1], we too were surprised that we did not find a protective effect of medical male circumcision (MMC) against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). On the basis of the results from their trial in Uganda [2], the trial South Africa [3], results from meta-analysis [4], and the. reduction in genital ulcer disease (GUD) in our own trial, we expected a reduction in HSV-2 for circumcised men compared with uncircumcised men. Tobian et al. [1] suggest that we did not find an association due to poor assay specificity. We investigated this as a possibility, but believe there are other potentially more plausible explanations for this lack of association between MMC and HSV-2 among our participants in Kenya.