To examine whether VV infection induced differential regulation of IL-4/IL-13 receptor subunits on immune cells known to be important for clearance of viral infections, splenocytes from unimmunized or VV Western Reserve (VV-WR) strain infected BALB/c WT mice were analyzed using flow cytometry during the peak (i.e. 7 days) of anti-viral immunity. This evidence concerns the gene IL4 and viral infectious disease.