http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/std/std-bris.shtml

Circumcision has health benefits. Recently, however, the Health Department has documented several cases of herpes infection in newborns after circumcisions that included metzitzah b'peh. Metzitzah b'pehis a religious practice performed by some mohelim (religious circumcisers) in the Jewish community. Some of these infants became seriously ill. One baby died, and another suffered brain damage.

Because there is no proven way to reduce the risk of herpes infection posed by metzitzah b'peh, the Health Department recommends that infants being circumcised not undergo metzitzah b'peh.

To help you protect your baby, we want to make sure that parents understand the risk of metzitzah b'peh BEFORE the day of the bris, while there is time to explore other options.

How metzitzah b'peh spreads herpes
[color="Red"]In metzitzah b'peh, the mohel places his mouth on the freshly circumcised penis to draw blood away from the cut. If the mohel is infected with oral herpes (as most adults are), metzitzah b'peh can expose the infant to the herpes virus. While severe illness associated with this practice may be rare , there is a definite risk of infection.