PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh
Lawsuit alleges patient caught Legionnaires’ disease at UPMC Mercy
Finch WalkerUSA TODAY NETWORK
July 23, 2026, 12:21 p.m. ET
- A lawsuit alleges a man died from Legionnaires’ disease contracted while he was a patient at UPMC Mercy Hospital.
- The suit, filed by the man’s widow, claims negligence and wrongful death against the hospital and other parties.
- UPMC denies the presence of the Legionella bacterium at the hospital, citing negative tests from the health department.
A lawsuit filed against UPMC Mercy Hospital and two physicians says a man contracted Legionnaires’ disease as a patient and died from the illness
Barbara Primiero of Jefferson Hills filed the lawsuit on July 21 in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court against UPMC Mercy, University of Pittsburgh Physicians, Dr. Rishi Vattikuti and Dr. Peter Harvey. Vattikuti was a resident at UPMC Mercy in 2024, and Harvey was his attending physician, TribLIVE reported
The lawsuit alleges that Primiero’s husband, Reno Primiero, caught Legionnaires’ disease at the Pittsburgh hospital while receiving unrelated treatment. Barbara Primiero is suing all parties for negligence and wrongful death
A UPMC Mercy spokesperson denied the presence of the bacterium that causes Legionnaires’ disease at the hospital in a statement to TribLIVE
“UPMC Mercy appropriately reports positive Legionella cases to the Allegheny County Health Department, which conducted extensive testing on November 20, 2024, to determine whether Legionella pneumophila was present,” the spokesperson said. “The testing came back negative.”
Lawsuit against UPMC Mercy lays out timeline of Pittsburgh-area man’s illness
The lawsuit lays out a timeline of the events that led up to Reno Primiero’s death and alleges that his passing “was the final outcome of a prolonged and preventable cascade of medical complications caused by the defendants’ failure to maintain a safe hospital environment and failure to timely and adequately treat Mr. Primiero’s signs of infection,” Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reported
The lawsuit also alleges that UPMC Mercy was aware that Primiero was immunosuppressed and at a higher risk of getting Legionnaires’ disease
This is the timeline the lawsuit lays out:
- Nov. 4, 2024: Primiero was treated at UPMC Mercy for a complaint involving his left arm, which he said had been swollen and painful for a week. During his stay, he developed a fever and a productive cough, as well as a lower oxygen saturation number, according to the lawsuit.
- Nov. 7, 2024: Primiero was discharged from UPMC Mercy.
- Nov. 11, 2024: Primiero returned to the hospital, where imaging indicated he had pneumonia. Records note the infection was “hospital acquired,” according to the lawsuit. He was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease.
- Over the next several days, Primiero’s symptoms worsened. He was moved to the intensive care unit and intubated.
- Nov. 23, 2024: Primiero died. His cause of death was listed as adult respiratory distress syndrome, Legionella pneumonia and interstitial lung disease, according to the lawsuit.
How does Legionnaires’ disease spread? What are the symptoms?
Most people are diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease get legionella, the bacterium that causes the disease, by inhaling it from water, soil or water systems made by humans, such as air conditioners, according to the Mayo Clinic. Most outbreaks have occurred in large buildings
Older adults, people with certain chronic health conditions, those with a weakened immune system and people who smoke are at an increased risk of getting Legionnaires’ disease
Legionnaires’ disease typically starts two to 10 days after a person encounters the bacteria, with initial symptoms generally including headache, muscle aches and a fever that may reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. By the second or third day, symptoms may progress to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and confusion or other mental changes, as well as problems involving the lungs, such as a productive cough, chest pain and shortness or breath. The illness mainly involves the lungs, though it can cause problems in other parts of the body, including the heart, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The legionella bacterium also causes Pontiac fever, which is a milder illness similar to the flu. Pontiac fever doesn’t infect the lungs and generally clears on its own in less than a week, the Mayo Clinic says
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker
