Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) ␣-glucosidase inhibitors, which block the trimming step of N-linked glycosylation, have been shown to eliminate the production of several ER-budding viruses. Here we investigated the effects of one such inhibitor, N-nonyl-deoxynojirimycin (NN-DNJ), a 9-carbon alkyl iminosugar derivative, on infection by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and dengue virus serotype 2 (DEN-2). In the presence of NN-DNJ, JEV and DEN-2 infections were suppressed in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibitory effect appeared to influence DEN-2 infection more than JEV infection, since lower concentrations of NN-DNJ substantially blocked DEN-2 replication. Secretion of the flaviviral glycoproteins E and NS1 was greatly reduced, and levels of DEN-2 viral RNA replication measured by fluorogenic reverse transcription-PCR were also decreased, by NN-DNJ. Notably, the viral glycoproteins, prM, E, and NS1 were found to associate transiently with the ER chaperone calnexin, and this interaction was affected by NN-DNJ, suggesting a potential role of calnexin in the folding of flaviviral glycoproteins. Additionally, in a mouse model of lethal challenge by JEV infection, oral delivery of NN-DNJ reduced the mortality rate. These findings show that NN-DNJ has an antiviral effect on flavivirus infection, likely through interference with virus replication at the posttranslational modification level, occurring mainly in the ER.The Flaviviridae family includes the three genera Hepacivirus (e.g., Hepatitis C virus), Flavivirus, and Pestivirus (e.g., Bovine viral diarrhea virus [BVDV]). The genus Flavivirus comprises more than 70 viruses, many of which are potent human pathogens that can cause severe encephalitic, hemorrhagic, hepatic, or febrile illnesses (35). Of particular importance for public health are the mosquito-borne flaviviruses, such as Yellow fever virus (41, 48), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) (45), West Nile virus (25), and dengue viruses (DENs) (16). Severe forms of dengue-related diseases, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome, have recently become the most serious vector-borne viral diseases in humans. It is estimated that more than 50 million people suffer DEN infection annually, with approximately 2.5 billion people living in at-risk areas (16,34). Even though these flaviviruses have a major clinical impact, there is still no vaccine for DENs, nor are there any specific antiviral therapeutics available for treatment of infections with JEV or DENs.Flaviviral virions are composed of a lipid bilayer with two or more envelope proteins surrounding a nucleocapsid, which consists of a single-stranded positive-sense genome RNA associated with multiple copies of capsid proteins. After entering a host cell, flaviviral RNA first translates into a long polyprotein, which is cleaved by cellular and viral proteases into individual structural and nonstructural proteins. RNA replication begins with the synthesis of complementary negative strands, which are then used as templates for reproduction of positiv...