Atopic dermatitis may be aggravated by cutane¬ous infection especially with Staphylolcoccus aureus (S. aureus). The disturbances of the cytokine network may be the basis of the immunological changes en¬countered in this disease. Twenty-five atopic dermatitis patients and ten normal controls were included in this study. There was a significant staph aureus colonization in both affected and clinically normal atopic der¬matitis skin compared to the controls. A correlation between the severity of the disease and the density of the Staph. aureus colonization has been demonstrated. Also, a high significant increase in interleukin-8 (IL-8) level with a correlation to the severity of the disease was detected in the sera of the patients in comparison with the controls. The role of S. aureus and IL-8 in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis was discussed.