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Hidden Safety Risks Safe Antibacterial Products Reference

Hidden Safety Risks in Pet-Raising Households

Two decades ago, when people spoke of “keeping pets,” the immediate image was often a dog guarding the house or a cat catching mice. Today, the situation is entirely different. As more people seek “emotional companionship,” the global number of pet owners has risen sharply—particularly in Western countries and major cities in China. According to a large-scale global survey conducted by Mars Incorporated, there are now more than one billion pets worldwide, with cats making up the majority. For many young families and single individuals, pets are no longer seen merely as “animals.” More than 37% of pet owners regard their pets as “the most important presence” in their lives, and over 88% consider them to be “family members” [1].

Fig.1A: Situation of Pet Owners Worldwide [1]
Fig.1B: Situation of Pet Owners Worldwide [1]
Fig.1: Situation of Pet Owners Worldwide [1]

According to the 2024 China Pet Industry White Paper, China has become one of the fastest-growing pet markets in the world. Currently, China accounts for approximately 8–10% of the global pet market. In 2024, the number of urban pet owners exceeded 76.89 million, and the total market size reached 300 billion RMB [2].

Fig.2: Market Changes in China's Pet Industry [2]
Fig.2: Market Changes in China's Pet Industry [2]

However, behind the growing number of pets entering households lies an issue that cannot be ignored—pets are not always purely warm and lovable companions; they can also pose hidden hygiene risks. For example, dogs may come into contact with soil, grass, puddles, or even wild animals during walks, while cats often crawl under beds, chase insects, or chew on foreign objects. Such behaviors can expose them to invisible bacteria, which may then be transmitted to humans through contact or licking. Some of these microbes are zoonotic pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella. In 2022, a case in central Italy reported a family-wide Salmonella infection that affected two children and three pet dogs [3]. In China, fear of such risks remains widespread; on social media, cases are still frequently reported in which family elders send pets away once the female owner becomes pregnant.

Fig.3: Some Public Attitudes toward Pets
Fig.3: Some Public Attitudes toward Pets

Therefore, we believe this is not merely a “pet issue,” but one that directly affects the physical and mental health of pet owners as well. If proper antibacterial and disinfection measures for pets and pet-related items were integrated into daily life, such risks could be largely avoided. However, through our investigation, we found that most antibacterial products currently on the market suffer from significant drawbacks, such as strong irritation, potential toxicity to pets, or poor antibacterial efficacy. Moreover, both in households and veterinary clinics, the problem of antibiotic resistance caused by the overuse of antibiotics remains a pressing concern[4].

Table 1 Summary Table of Common Drawbacks of Commercial Pet Antimicrobial Products[5-7]
Category Representative
Ingredients/Product Forms		 Main Drawbacks & Risks
Veterinary Antibiotics Injectable or oral preparations: cephalosporins, florfenicol, enrofloxacin, etc. Increased drug resistance; disrupts the balance of the animal's intestinal flora; environmental residues lead to water and soil pollution.
Chemical Disinfectants
(Quaternary ammonium salts, etc.)		 Quaternary ammonium salts (benzalkonium chloride, etc.) Strong irritation; cats are prone to respiratory allergies; long-term use can cause contact dermatitis.
Chemical Disinfectants
(Chlorine-based)		 Chlorine-based (sodium hypochlorite, chlorhexidine) Highly corrosive; damages paw pad skin; pungent odor can cause gastrointestinal irritation if pets lick it.
Chemical Disinfectants
(Peroxygen compounds)		 Peroxygen compounds (hydrogen peroxide, etc.) High concentrations can corrode instruments and skin; prolonged exposure may lead to skin allergies or respiratory discomfort.
Chemical Disinfectants
(Alcohols)		 Alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol sprays, etc.) Thin skin in dogs and cats allows for rapid percutaneous absorption, easily leading to poisoning (vomiting, ataxia, seizures); volatilization removes sebum, causing dry and cracked skin.
Plant Essential Oils Sprays containing tea-tree, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus oils High toxicity: cats lack glucuronyl transferase and cannot metabolize phenols, easily causing liver damage; high concentrations can lead to drooling and muscle tremors.
Herbal Extracts Honeysuckle, forsythia, isatis root, sophoridine, berberine sprays/washes Low concentration of active ingredients, resulting in weak antibacterial strength; inconsistent quality and poor batch stability; dark color may stain fur and furniture.

We, Ulinks-SZ, are committed to tackling this problem and offering a solution that allows our pet-owning teammates, as well as countless pet-raising families, to enjoy unburdened intimacy with their pets.

Fig.4: Why is it necessary to reduce antibiotic use? Source: Health for animals.
Fig.4: Why is it necessary to reduce antibiotic use? Source: Health for animals.

Safe Antibacterial Products—Antimicrobial Peptides

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are short-chain peptide molecules naturally synthesized by living organisms, serving as “innate immune weapons” developed through the course of evolution. When a host is invaded by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites, AMPs are rapidly produced and released as the first line of immune defense, directly targeting and eliminating the pathogens. These molecules are widely distributed across the biological world—for instance, AMPs can be found in human skin, saliva, and tears, as well as in frog skin, insect hemolymph, and plant root secretions [8].

The most common mechanism of antimicrobial peptides is the disruption of bacterial cell membranes. Typically, AMPs carry a positive charge, while bacterial membranes are negatively charged—much like the attraction between the poles of a magnet. When AMPs approach the bacterial surface, they insert themselves into the membrane, forming pores that cause leakage of intracellular contents and ultimately lead to bacterial death [9].

Fig.5: Schematic Diagram of Antimicrobial Peptide Action [6]
Fig.5: Schematic Diagram of Antimicrobial Peptide Action [6]

Given these characteristics and mechanisms of antimicrobial peptides, they possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity (effective even against fungi and parasites), high safety, and an extremely low likelihood of inducing resistance. Therefore, we aim to harness synthetic biology to produce AMPs and formulate them into an antibacterial spray similar to alcohol-based disinfectants. By applying the BDTL engineering design cycle, we constructed an efficient expression system and successfully achieved the expression, optimization, and purification of the ulink-AMP antimicrobial peptide using E. coli BL21 (DE3).

Fig.6A: Packaging Design of the Antimicrobial Peptide Spray Bottle
Fig.6B: Packaging Design of the Antimicrobial Peptide Spray Bottle
Fig.6: Packaging Design of the Antimicrobial Peptide Spray Bottle. Engineered by Hangzhou-BioX

we pinpointed two mutation sites that were most promising for enhancing the antimicrobial peptide. Building on this, we introduced a co-expression strategy with an anionic peptide, allowing electrostatic interactions to alleviate the peptide’s toxicity toward host cells [6]. Guided by this iterative design, we eventually obtained the mutant AMP-TB2, which exhibited notable antibacterial activity even at a concentration of 100 mg/mL.

To verify the effectiveness of the antimicrobial peptides, we not only experimentally confirmed their inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, but also employed protein modeling and molecular docking to simulate their interactions with several common zoonotic pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Campylobacter [10].

Fig.7: Docking results of AMP-TB2 with Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter, and Salmonella
Fig.7: Figures A, B, and C show the docking results of AMP-TB2 with Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter, and Salmonella, respectively.

Our project is not only dedicated to protecting these furry “family members,” but also to fostering healthier living environments for households and communities, while promoting the application of synthetic biology in the field of health.

Reference

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    全球宠物超10 亿只，有史以来规模最大的宠物主调查发布
  • [2]
    《2024 中国宠物行业白皮书》2024 China Pet Industry White Paper
  • [3]
    Russini, V., et al. “A Familiar Outbreak of Monophasic Salmonella Serovar Typhimurium (ST34) Involving Three Dogs and Their Owner’s Children.” Pathogens, vol. 11, no. 12, 2022, p. 1500. Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland).
  • [4]
    Jauch, Linzy, et al. "Antimicrobial treatment preferences among veterinarians for Golden Retrievers in the United States." American Journal of Veterinary Research 85.8 (2024).
  • [5]
    Zasloff, Michael. “Antimicrobial peptides of multicellular organisms.” Nature vol. 415,6870 (2002): 389–95.
  • [6]
    Zhang, Qi–Yu et al. “Antimicrobial peptides: mechanism of action, activity and clinical potential.” Military Medical Research vol. 8,1 48. 9 Sep. 2021
  • [7]
    Nygaard, Rie, et al. "Structural basis of peptidoglycan synthesis by E. coli RodA–PBP2 complex." Nature Communications 14.1 (2023): 5151