Two infants diagnosed with herpes after ultra - Orthodox Jewish circumcision ritual . In it , the person performing the circumcision sucks blood away from the baby 's penis . Most adults carry the virus ; health department says it can be deadly for children . The health department says the procedure is dangerous because the contact with the mouth could transmit diseases such as herpes . The metzitzah b'peh ritual is performed by relatively small number of ultra - Orthodox Jews .
Two infants diagnosed with herpes after ultra - Orthodox Jewish circumcision ritual . In it , the person performing the circumcision sucks blood away from the baby 's penis . Most adults carry the virus ; health department says it can be deadly for children . The metzitzah b'peh ritual is performed by relatively small number of ultra - Orthodox Jews .