Results indicated that IL-4Rα expression, but not γc, IL-13Rα1 or IL-13Rα2 was differentially regulated on CD8+ T cells as a consequence of VV infection of mice. Therefore, the current study focused on the mechanisms involved in the regulation of IL-4Rα on CD8+ T cells following virus infection and whether differential regulation of IL-4Rα on CD8+ T cells affects the quality of anti-viral CD8+ T cell immunity. This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and viral infectious disease.