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PITTSBURGH \u2014<\/p>\nLawsuit alleges man died after contracting Legionnaires\u2019 disease while admitted to UPMC Mercy<\/p>\n
PITTSBURGH \u2014<\/p>\n
UPMC Mercy Hospital and two of its physicians are being sued by a Jefferson Hills woman who says her husband contracted and died from Legionnaires\u2019 disease while a patient.<\/p>\n
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 <\/p>\n
According to court papers obtained by Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, Barbara Primiero, who is the administrator of her husband\u2019s estate, filed the complaint on Tuesday in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. <\/p>\n
It includes claims for negligence and wrongful death.<\/p>\n
Along with the hospital, the lawsuit names University of Pittsburgh Physicians and Dr. Rishi Vattikuti, a resident at the time, and Dr. Peter Harvey, his attending physician. <\/p>\n
Barbara Primiero’s husband, Reno, was first treated at UPMC Mercy on Nov. 4, 2024, after his left arm became swollen, resulting in long-lasting pain for a week, the lawsuit read. <\/p>\n
A few days after he was admitted, he developed a fever and cough. He also had a lower oxygen saturation number, “each of which constituted new and alarming signs of an evolving infectious process in a profoundly immunocompromised patient.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reno was discharged three days later, but returned to the hospital on Nov. 11, 2024, where imaging showed he had pneumonia. <\/p>\n
He was later diagnosed with Legionnaires\u2019 disease, and over the next several days, his symptoms worsened until he was transferred to the intensive care unit and intubated, the lawsuit continued. <\/p>\n
He died on Nov. 23, 2024. <\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Primiero\u2019s death \u2026 was the final outcome of a prolonged and preventable cascade of medical complications caused by the defendants\u2019 failure to maintain a safe hospital environment and failure to timely and adequately treat Mr. Primiero\u2019s signs of infection,\u201d the lawsuit said.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit also asserted UPMC Mercy knew Reno Primiero was immunosuppressed, leaving him susceptible to infection from Legionnaires\u2019 disease. <\/p>\n
UPMC sent a statement to the Trib late Wednesday with the following statement: \u201cUPMC 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 testing came back negative.\u201d <\/p>\n
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