IFNG and infection: The serum IL-2 exhibited an increasing trend at a later stage of infection, which was significantly high at 5 d.p.i. IL-2 levels in the spleen increased significantly at 1 and 4 d.p.i. IFNγ levels had a sharp decrease at 1 d.p.i in serum and were enhanced in brain at 1 and 3 d.p.i, suggesting EBIV infection altered IFNγ produced innate immune cells, especially NK cell function during the early infection.