Image by flickr user Michael ScheltgenImage by 20080523_raccoon.jpg Not the raccoon in question. But, regardless, we won't be swapping saliva with it because we don't like shots.

More than $43,000 has been spent by state health officials investigating 35 people who were exposed to a rabies-infected raccoon after they fed, kissed and held a baby raccoon.

24 people who held the Beaufort County-based critter were given shots. The shots run about $1,000 each.