By Paul Berger July 22, 2014

Two more infants in New York City have tested positive for herpes following a controversial circumcision rite.

Both babies are believed to have contracted the disease following metzitzah b’peh, a ritual in which the circumciser places his lips on the infant’s penis to suction blood from the circumcision wound.

New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene sent a health alert to doctors July 22 warning of the suspected cases.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

In the first case, the baby had pustular lesions on the penis and genital area. He tested positive for herpes and was admitted to hospital for intravenous treatment.

In the second case, the baby developed lesions on his penis, thigh, and foot. The health alert did not say how the baby’s symptoms were treated.

The alert stated that both cases were consistent with transmission of herpes “during direct contact between the mouth of the ritual circumciser and the newly circumcised infant penis.”

Since 2000, 16 infants in New York City are suspected of contracting herpes following MBP. Two of those babies died and at least two others suffered brain damage.

The city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has tried to warn parents of the risks of MBP, which is particularly prevalent among the city’s ultra-Orthodox Jews.

In January, 2013, the city instituted a regulation that forced mohels to get written consent from parents before performing the rite.

But ultra-Orthodox groups say that MBP is safe and many mohels refuse to comply with the regulation.

Since the regulation was enforced, four infants have contracted the disease.

The city’s health department did not respond immediately to a request for information about whether the mohel or mohels involved in the latest cases obtained written consent before performing MBP.

Contact Paul Berger at [email protected] or on Twitter @pdberger

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount