Researchers have found another benefit of circumcision for health, saying that it can protect men against the virus that causes AIDS, as well as the virus that causes cervical cancer in their partners.

In the Lancet medical journal on Thursday, they reported that the partners of circumcised men had lower rate of infection in two years with the HPV or human papilloma virus. This is the virus that causes warts and cervical cancer in women.

Dr. Maria Waver and her colleagues at John Hopkins University located in Baltimore wrote in the journal that their findings show that male circumcision should now be recognized as an effective way to reduce the incidence of HPV infections in women.

However, they said it only deems partial protection against the infection. Thus, safe sex practices are still important.

Waver and her team also added that the study revealed that circumcised men have lesser risk to be infected with the virus that causes the grave diseases, AIDS.

Human papilloma virus is widely known as the primary cause of cervical cancer in women. However, it also causes other infection such as genital warts that might eventually lead to cancer of the penis, anus, head or neck.

HPV is highly contagious. It has dozens of strains that can infect a large number of people in just a few years after the commencement of sexual activity. Most people previously infected with the virus have a complete recovery. However, some experience changes that cause cancer.

In women, cervical cancer ranks second most common cancer worldwide. Certain drug manufacturing companies had already released vaccines against the virus. But, most of it is not available to women in growing countries.

Wavers’ team said that taking off the foreskin during the process of circumcision makes the penis less likely to bring a range of microorganisms.