Listeria monocytogenes is a common foodborne pathogen widely exists in the environment. Sepsis， meningitis and mononucleosis are the cardinal symptom after Listeria monocytogenes infection， also leads to abortion， fetal death in utero and neonatal death. The pathogenicity of Listeria monocytogenes is closely related to its virulence genes and virulence islands， and its pathogenicity mechanism is the result of the participation of many virulence factors and the regulation of the complex network of regulatory factors. This review aims to explain the virulence genes and pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes.