Sensitivity tests to different antimicrobial agents were performed in 290 strains of S. aureus isolated from healthy population and from patients with various infectious diseases. Resistance to penicillin G varied from 80 to 97% and beta-lactamase production was demonstrated in all strains with CMI greater than 1 microgram/ml. Resistance to other drugs was variable: gentamicin 29.4%, erythromycin 24.5% and rifampicin 12%. All strains were sensitive to isoxazolyl penicillins with CMI less than 1 microgram/ml. There was no difference in the sensitivity pattern to antibiotics between strains isolated from community or from hospital acquired infections with reference to the antimicrobial resistance pattern.