> I remember an American colleague of mine absolutely freaking out that I was slicing up chicken without wearing gloves, and he was convinced that I'd be dead by morning from some hideous chicken-borne disease because of it.

Most Americans aren't like that person.

> Apparently chicken in the US really is that dangerous

Not to my knowledge. On the other (ungloved) hand, I don't know of any culinary tradition involving eating raw chicken.