What condition is suggested by an enlarged, soft, and painful prostate with fever, dysuria, and foul-smelling urine?

An enlarged, soft, and painful prostate accompanied by fever, dysuria (painful urination), and foul-smelling urine points toward acute bacterial prostatitis. This condition is characterized by the sudden onset of inflammation of the prostate gland due to bacterial infection.

The presence of fever indicates a systemic response to infection, which aligns with acute prostatitis, as it often presents with these systemic signs. Dysuria is a common symptom due to inflammation and irritation of the urethra caused by the prostate swelling. The foul-smelling urine can be attributed to the potential presence of bacteria and possible necrosis or pus formation within the urinary tract during an infection.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis typically presents with less acute symptoms and might not feature the pronounced systemic signs such as fever or the acute tenderness associated with acute prostatitis. Prostatic hyperplasia (benign enlargement of the prostate) does not usually cause fever or the acute pain described, and prostate cancer typically presents differently, with symptoms like obstructive urinary symptoms but often lacks the acute febrile response and severe pain characteristic of bacterial infections.