The pathogenic and vaccine strains of equine infectious anemia virus differentially induce cytokine and chemokine expression and apoptosis in macrophages

► We compared effects of EIAV strains on cytokine expression in macrophages. ► The vaccine strain enhanced IL-4 expression in the early stage of infection. ► It promoted proinflammatory cytokine expression in the late stage and more apoptosis. ► The pathogenic strain enhanced proinflammatory cytokine expression in the early stage. ► It upregulated IL-4, IL-10 and chemokine expression in the late stage of infection.