A Hosogami is a demon from Japanese folklore that resembled a small ugly humanoid with a fearsome temper and a desire to spread smallpox, their fearsome nature in itself being a symbolism for how aggressive the disease would spread and ravage entire communities
The Hosogami would employ many tactics to try and spread their influence as far as possible but were afraid of dogs and the color red.
Due to the terrible cost smallpox had on ancient Japan many rituals were formed specifically to try and appease or banish these particularly vicious monsters.