The present investigation has compared the influences of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and heat-killed bacteria (HKB) on oxygen consumption and glucose oxidation by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from carriers of sex-linked chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). PMA or HKB caused neutrophils from CGD carriers, considered as a group, to consume oxygen and oxidize glucose-1-14C at rates that were statistically distinguishable from rates of normal controls and affected CGD hemizygotes. PMA at a final concentration of 1.0 micrograms per milliliter wass more effective and reproducible than a ratio of 50 HKB: 1 PMN in discriminating the partial abnormality of carrier PMN from normal PMN. Moreover, a deficiency in glucose oxidation by the PMN of one individual carrier was detectable using PMA stimulation when no defect was apparent with HKB. Results of the present investigation confirm and extend previous observations which have demonstrated the similarity in responses of PMA-treated normal and CGD PMN to the reactions produced by particulates under similar conditions.