Change background color for selected ListBox item

<UserControl.Resources>
    <Style x:Key="myLBStyle" TargetType="{x:Type ListBoxItem}">
        <Style.Resources>
            <SolidColorBrush x:Key="{x:Static SystemColors.HighlightBrushKey}"
                             Color="Transparent"/>
        </Style.Resources>
    </Style>
</UserControl.Resources> 

and

<ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding Path=FirstNames}"
         ItemContainerStyle="{StaticResource myLBStyle}">  

You just override the style of the listboxitem (see the: TargetType is ListBoxItem)

Or you can apply HighlightBrushKey directly to the ListBox. Setter Property="Background" Value="Transparent" did NOT work. But I did have to set the Foreground to Black.

<ListBox  ... >
    <ListBox.ItemContainerStyle>
        <Style TargetType="ListBoxItem">
            <Style.Triggers>
                <Trigger Property="IsSelected" Value="True" >
                    <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="Bold" />
                    <Setter Property="Background" Value="Transparent" />
                    <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="Black" />
                </Trigger>
            </Style.Triggers>
            <Style.Resources>
                <SolidColorBrush x:Key="{x:Static SystemColors.HighlightBrushKey}" Color="Transparent"/>
            </Style.Resources>
        </Style>                
    </ListBox.ItemContainerStyle>
</ListBox>