There were several methods to detect p1 gene variations in Mycoplasma pneumoniae. In this study polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) assay was performed to establish a rapid and precise detection method for identifying M. pneumoniae p1 gene variations. We detected p1 gene variations in 109. M. pneumoniae clinical isolates from Shanghai, China, which were collected from 2009 to 2011 by DGGE, and compared this method with the PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay and sequencing. B...