Background : The skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibits a sinking susceptibility to colonization with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Superantigenic exotoxins produced by S. aureus and their specific IgE antibodies are thought to be important precipitating factors of AD, but there are few reports evaluating these 2 factors at the same time. Object : Our purpose was to examine whether the isolation of S aurora, colonies and the presence of the exotoxins from the skin of childhood AD patients and the level of anti-staphylococcal enterotoxin A(SEA) IgE antibody in their sera correlated with their seventy of AD. Methods : Thirty patients with mild-to-severe AD, 2 to 15 years of age. were evaluated by using SCORAD index. S. aureus was isolated from lesional and non-lesional skin of AD patients, and from healthy controls. By using reversed passive latex agglutination toxin detection kits, we examined whether staphylococcoal exotoxins could be detected. Anti-SEA IgE antibody was determined by using AlaSTAT assay. Results : S. aureus colonization were found in 11(36.7%) of the lesions] skin and in 5(16.7%) of the non-lesional skin of 30 AD patient. Staphylococcal exotoxins were detected in 5(45.5%) of the 11 colonization from lesions] skin and in 2(40%) of the 5 colonizations from non-lesional skin. SEA was most frequently detected. S. aureus colonization was correlated with the seventy of AD. However, there were no statistical significances between seventy of AD and others such as exotoxin production. and the level of total IgE and anti-SEA IgE Total IgE level was significantly higher in the group of exotoxin production. and correlated with the level of anti-SEA IgE. Conclusion : The correlation between S. aureus colonization end seventy of AD in our study might support the role of S. aureus in patients with AD. On the other hand, it could be considered that exacerbation of AD trigger m colonization of S. aureus by way of disruption of skin banner.