A patient presents with dysuria and discharge from the penis. Which disorder could these be symptoms of?

The symptoms of dysuria (painful urination) and penile discharge are commonly associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In this context, gonorrhea is a well-known STI that typically presents with these specific symptoms in males. Gonorrhea, caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, frequently results in urethritis, which manifests as dysuria and purulent discharge from the penis. This condition is often acute and can develop quickly after infection.

While other STIs like chlamydia can also cause similar symptoms, gonorrhea is specifically known for producing a more noticeable and often purulent discharge. Therefore, when considering the combination of dysuria and discharge, gonorrhea stands out as a primary candidate due to its characteristic presentation.

Chlamydia, while sharing some overlapping symptoms with gonorrhea, often has subtler symptoms, sometimes leading to less discharge. The Herpes Simplex Virus primarily causes painful lesions rather than discharge, and trichomoniasis is more frequently associated with a frothy discharge and may also present differently in males. Thus, the typical acute presentation of dysuria and significant discharge aligns strongly with a diagnosis of gonorrhea.