Contrasting susceptibility of CCR2‐ and CCL2‐deficient mice to Japanese encephalitis (JE). C57BL/6, CCR2 knockout (KO), and CCL2 KO mice (4‐ to 5‐week‐old, n = 13–20) were intradermally infected with Japanese encaphalitis virus (JEV) (3·0 or 5·0 × 107 pfu) via the footpad route. (a) Survival rate. Surviving mice were recorded daily up to 20 days post‐infection (dpi), and the proportion of surviving inoculated mice was presented. (b) Ratio of mice showing neurological disorders during JE progression. Mice infected with JEV were examined every 6 hr from 4 to 11 dpi, and the ratio of inoculated mice showing neurological disorders was recorded. (c) Change in body weight. Data are expressed as the mean percentage ± SD of body weight relative to time of challenge. *P < 0·05; **P < 0·01; ***P < 0·001 compared with levels of the indicated group.