Genitourinary Infections Related to Circumcision and the Potential Impact on Male Infertility

Nahid Punjani; Spyridon P Basourakos; Quincy G Nang; Richard K Lee; Marc Goldstein; Joseph P Alukal; Philip S Li

doi:10.5534/wjmh.210043

Genitourinary Infections Related to Circumcision and the Potential Impact on Male Infertility

World J Mens Health. 2022 Apr;40(2):179-190. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.210043. Epub 2021 May 18.

Authors

Nahid Punjani¹, Spyridon P Basourakos¹, Quincy G Nang¹, Richard K Lee¹, Marc Goldstein¹, Joseph P Alukal², Philip S Li³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Urology, Center for Male Reproductive Medicine and Microsurgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
² Department of Urology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
³ Department of Urology, Center for Male Reproductive Medicine and Microsurgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA. psli@med.cornell.edu.

Abstract

Male circumcision (MC) is one of the oldest surgical procedures still completed today. Medical indications for MC include phimosis, recurrent balanitis, cosmesis, and infection prevention. In this review, we mainly focus on the role of MC in the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus, human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus, gonorrhea, chlamydia, chancroid, and syphilis, and the subsequent impact of these genitourinary infections on male fertility. Overall, many compelling data support that MC may play an essential role in both genitourinary infection prevention and male fertility.

Keywords: Infections; Infertility; Male circumcision.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

New York Community Trust/United States of America