Boutonneuse fever can be seen in many places around the world, although it is endemic in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.

Wild hedgehogs have been found to carry Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick, which can transmit Boutonneuse fever.

The bacterium was isolated by Emile Brumpt in 1932 and named after A. Conor who, in collaboration with A. Bruch, provided the first description of boutonneuse fever in Tunisia in 1910.

'Boutonneuse fever' (also called 'Mediterranean spotted fever', 'fièvre boutonneuse', or 'Marseilles fever') is a fever as a result of a Rickettsia infection caused by the bacterium 'Rickettsia conorii' and transmitted by the dog tick 'Rhipicephalus sanguineus'.