title: [Actual controversies about circumcision].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circumcision, the oldest and most frequently performed surgery in the world, is the subject of controversies. The aim of this study was to conduct a general review of circumcision in the light of the ten questions most frequently raised in the medical community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Automated search of scientific articles published has been used by interviewing computer databases Medline and Embase from 1990 to 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of three randomized controlled trials have provided information on preventive contributory role of this medical male circumcision. This intervention reduces the risk of acquiring HIV infection, HSV2 infection and the carrier prevalence of HPV. Male circumcision has proven to be effective in reducing the risks of penile cancer and cervical cancer in female partners of circumcised men, urinary tract infections in infants and children. Complications are rare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The health benefits of circumcision balance the procedure's risks. Circumcision could be considered as a kind of "surgical vaccine", especially in developing countries to prevent the transmission of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Institut Alfred-Fournier, service de dermatologie, 75014 Paris, France. Electronic address: haliouab@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Halioua
authors.affiliation: CHRU Pontchaillou, service d'urologie, 35033 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lobel
mesh_terms: D002944:Circumcision, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D010412:Penile Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D019529:Sexuality; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control