Dengue virus (DENV) is maintained and circulated in both sylvatic/enzootic and
endemic/human cycles and spill over infection of sylvatic DENV into human populations has
been reported. Extensive deforestation and increase human activities in forest may increase
the risk of human exposure to sylvatic dengue infection and this may become a threat to
human. Present study investigated the changes in cell morphology and viral morphogenesis
upon infection with sylvatic and endemic ecotypes in human monocytic U-937 cells using
transmission electron microscopy. Autophagy, a process that is either pro-viral or anti-viral,
was observed in U-937 cells of both infections, however only the replication of endemic
DENV was evidenced. An insight into the infection responses of sylvatic progenitors of DENV
in susceptible host cells may provide better understanding on dengue emergence in human
populations.