It’s rare but possible. If there are signs of a male bacterial infection, with infection-fighting white blood cells in the sperm (pyospermia) we would not use that specimen for an Intrauterine Insemination or IUI as we might spread infection to the uterus or tubes. Viral infections like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV can be transmitted by sperm, so sperm donors are tested for infectious diseases. Washing the sperm for IUI doesn’t completely remove all of a viral infection from the sample.