In many states it is a criminal offense to intentionally or recklessly transmit a sexually transmitted disease (STD or venereal disease) to another person. Examples of such diseases include HIV/AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), genital warts, and hepatitis B.

Laws vary from state to state, and in some states these laws include other infectious or communicable diseases. In some states there is a specific criminal offense for transmission of sexually transmitted or communicable diseases, and in other states criminal prosecutors charge the defendant with a more general crime like assault.

Laws regarding criminal liability for the intentional or reckless transmission of sexual or other infectious or communicable diseases are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code, or the health and safety code.

A person who negligently transmits a sexually transmitted disease to another person through sexual contact—without informing the other person of the offender’s infection before the sexual contact—may also be subject to civil liability for money damages in a lawsuit.

In Tennessee, the intentional or reckless transmission of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is addressed under the state's criminal statutes. Tennessee law specifically criminalizes the knowing exposure to another person to an STD without the prior informed consent of the person exposed. This is outlined in Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-13-516, which makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly expose another individual to HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C through sexual contact without informing them of the infection. Additionally, the transmission of other STDs may fall under general criminal offenses such as assault if the transmission is done intentionally or recklessly. Beyond criminal liability, individuals in Tennessee may also face civil lawsuits for negligently transmitting an STD, where the infected party can seek monetary damages for the harm caused.