BOSTON (AP) – Mayor Thomas Menino has been diagnosed with a mild form of Crohn’s disease, a chronic intestinal condition, his doctors said Thursday.

Menino began complaining of lower abdominal pain after eating a large amount of peanuts at a Red Sox game Monday night. He checked in to Brigham and Women’s Hospital Wednesday night – the second time this year he’d been hospitalized with those symptoms.

“He just has a very small segment of his small intestine involved, and he has what I consider to be a very mild form of Crohn’s disease,” Dr. John R. Saltzman said.

In March, the 61-year-old mayor spent three days at Brigham and Women’s after experiencing similar abdominal pain. At the time, his doctors said it could be related to Crohn’s disease.

, a condition marked by intermittent flare-ups of intense pain. He had been on medication to combat the symptoms since then.

A CT scan this week confirmed the diagnosis, and he is likely to remain hospitalized for one to two more days. He was listed in good condition on Thursday.

“The mayor is not in any significant pain at this time,” said his physician, Dr. Judyann Bigby.

Last summer, Menino had a rare cancerous tumor removed from his back. He was hospitalized again a few weeks later for a follow-up procedure. Menino has also suffered from kidney stones.

Menino is in his 11th year in office, making him one of the city’s longest-serving mayors. His current term expires in 2005.

AP-ES-08-19-04 1546EDT

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