SAN DIEGO — While bats, skunks, raccoons and other wild animals might be interesting to look at, touching them — even when they’re dead — could expose you to rabies. The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) reported that four of 20 bats submitted for rabies testing to HHSA’s Public Health Laboratory since Jan. 1 have tested positive for rabies. All four bast tested positive for rabies during the month of June. The HHSA is reminding the public to stay away from bats and other wild animals to prevent possible exposure to rabies. The small teeth of a bat can make a bite difficult to find. Rabies transmission may also occur if a bat’s saliva comes in contact with a person’s open wounds or mucous membranes such as your eyes, nose or mouth. Bats are most often observed by people during the summer months when young bats leave the roost, insects are abundant and people leave windows open at night to counter the heat. If a bat is found in your home or on your property, do not touch it. Contact a local animal control agency to pick it up. If direct contact with a bat does occur, wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and get medical advice immediately. The bat should be safely captured and picked up by a local animal control agency to submit for rabies testing. For service in the City of San Diego, call (619) 236-4250. For more information about rabies and bats, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website: http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/index.html.