1Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resource, King Faisal University, Al-AHSA, Saudi Arabia and the ²AL-AHSA Veterinary Regional Diagnostic Laboratory, Saudi Arabia.

Pasteurellosis in rabbits causes serious losses. Hence the need for controlling the disease via application of vaccination programs in rabbitaries, especially those found in endemic areas is pressing. The available vaccines against rabbit pasterullosis are prepared from standard serotypes of Pasteurella multocida which do not, in many instances, cover the causative serotypes existing and causing the outbreak. In this work an autogenous vaccine was prepared. Saponin (Quil A) was chosen as an adjuvant to pass over some of the drawbacks of the aluminium hydroxide adjuvant in the available commercial vaccines. This vaccine, when tested in a protection and challenge experiment, provided effective and potent. Vaccination of rabbits in some rabbitaries in Al-Ahsa area, Saudi Arabia, resulted in a noticeable protection against spontaneous pasteurellosis.