A sexually active 24-year-old man presents with multiple painful penile sores and tender inguinal lymphadenopathy. What is the most likely diagnosis?

• A. Genital herpes
• B. Chancroid
• C. Syphilis
• D. Gonorrhea

Answer: (A)

Multiple painful genital ulcers arranged in crops with tender inguinal lymphadenopathy point to genital herpes. Herpes lesions start as painful vesicles that rupture to form shallow ulcers and often appear in clusters at different stages, accompanied by tender regional nodes. In contrast, a single painless chancre with non-tender nodes suggests syphilis; gonorrhea typically presents with urethral discharge and dysuria rather than ulcers; chancroid can produce painful ulcers with tender nodes but lesions are usually ragged and purulent rather than clustered vesicles progressing to shallow ulcers. Thus the combination of multiple painful ulcers and tender inguinal nodes most strongly supports genital herpes.