Another familiar disease that can be transmitted from raccoons to humans is rabies. This is a disease that is becoming more common in wild animals. It can be passed to humans by direct scratch or bite of a raccoon that already has it. Rabies is not a life-threatening disease and can be treated by a medical professional.
If you see a raccoon acting strangely, you may want to avoid it and get all domestic pets inside the house until it passes by. Be sure to report a raccoon that is acting strangely so animal control can watch out for it. If you must go out and pick up garbage that the raccoon got into at night, then wear a thick pair of rubber gloves that will provide protection for your hands.