A team of American and Ugandan scientist described the penis microbiome using 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing (PLOS One [2010] 5: e8422). They show that circumcision is associated with significant shifts in the penis microbiome. It is not surprising, but nevertheless interesting, that they observed a decrease in anaerobic Bacteria.
Boldly they conclude: "The anoxic microenvironment of the subpreputial space may support pro-inflammatory anaerobes that can activate Langerhans cells to present HIV to CD4 cells in draining lymph nodes. Thus, the reduction in putative anaerobic bacteria after circumcision may play a role in protection from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases."
...unfortunately this is merely a causation hypothesis that was not experimentally addressed in this study.
...unfortunately this is merely a causation hypothesis that was not experimentally addressed in this study.
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