I use over 50 pairs of latex gloves daily...10,000 pairs/year. Approximately 5000 patient visits/year, each year, in 20+ years of practice. I've seen latex related allergy, manifested by slight swelling and redness (urticaria), only on two patients in that time. Proper health history review will include questions of possible latex sensitivity (balloons, condoms, etc.). Vinyl gloves (the common medical substitute for latex) lack the flexibility and sensitivity of latex and can be used when neccessary, but I wouldn't have nuerosurgery done on me by a surgeon with them. Yes, you can have a severe reaction to an allergen, without ingestion (usually by mucosa contact), that can lead to brochiospasm. Bottom line... you'll be hit by a bus before you're killed by a condom (or latex gloves).