This whole subforum seems pretty dead, but cooking is kinda my thing, so forgive my bringing dead threads back from the grave.
Meringues rarely get to a high enough temperature to kill bacteria anyways, and most people have no issues eating a lemon meringue pie. Same folks will also eat a dozen eggs benedict at the local Sunday Brunch, too, with no concerns. Use fresh eggs, work in a clean environment, don't cross contaminate, follow proper food safety and storage guidelines, and all is fine.
Eggs... most nations don't wash eggs, and sell them at ambient temperature. Washing eggs destroys the natural barrier on the shell, allowing bacteria to enter them. Chalk it up to the fact we North Americans seem to like our food looking pretty, even at the expense of common sense.