virus-like particles mimicking the outer shell of HPV Published January 6, 2011 at 360 × 270 in STD Awareness: Human Papillomavirus and the HPV Vaccine virus-like particles mimicking the outer shell of HPV Virus-like particles, which mimic the outer shell of HPV, are used in the HPV vaccine to induce an immune response against the virus. Image obtained from cancer.gov.