Lapatinib effectively suppressed the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and loss of BBB integrity in the VEEV (TrD)–infected gNVU model, and protected mice from a lethal VEEV (TC-83) challenge, establishing that the proinflammatory and tissue-protective effects of pan-ErbB inhibition are generalizable to other viral infections and tissues. This evidence concerns the gene EGFR and viral infectious disease.