B737-300 DEPARTED WITH RECOMMENDED SPACING BEHIND A LARGE AIRBUS. DURING CLIMBOUT; WAKE TURB WAS ENCOUNTERED; RESULTING IN A ROLL IN EXCESS OF 40 DEGS OF BANK.

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WE DEPARTED RWY 22L WITH PROPER SPACING BEHIND A LARGE AIRBUS. AFTER OUR INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP ABOUT 4 OR 5000 FT; WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO 090 DEGS AND STARTED A CLB AS DIRECTED OUT OF 5000 FT. I NOTICED THE AIRBUS WAS NOW WELL TO OUR NE AND ABOVE US. OUT OF 6000 FT WE ENCOUNTERED THE WAKE OF THE AIRBUS AND OUR B737 ROLLED RAPIDLY; BUT GENTLY TO ABOUT 40-50 DEGS OF BANK TO THE L. JUST AS QUICKLY; WE THEN ROLLED BACK TO ABOUT 30-40 DEGS TO THE R. MILD WHEEL AND RUDDER INPUTS WERE INITIALLY INEFFECTIVE TO COUNTER THE ROLL; BUT VERY QUICKLY; THE ACFT RESPONDED GENTLY TO MY INPUTS AND WE ROLLED BACK TO WINGS LEVEL; STILL IN A CLB AND ON SPEED. THE EFFECT OF THE WAKE LASTED LESS THAN 5 SECONDS. I AGAIN SAW THE AIRBUS WELL ABOVE AND OFF TO OUR L HEADING NE. THE FO IMMEDIATELY ASKED THE PURSER IF ALL WAS IN ORDER IN THE CABIN AND SHE REPORTED SOME MILD ALARM; BUT NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES. SINCE WE IN OUR INITIAL CLB; ALL CREW AND PAX WERE STILL IN THEIR SEATS WITH THE SEATBELT SIGN ON. I DO NOT RECALL IF EITHER OF US MADE A RPT AT THAT TIME TO ATC. THE FO DID COMMENT TO THE PAX AT THAT TIME AND AT LEVEL OFF; I MADE A FAIRLY DETAILED ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX AS TO THE INCIDENT AND THE CAUSE. THE PURSER EXAMINED THE CABIN AGAIN AND RPTED NO CONCERN AMONG THE PAX AND WE PROCEEDED TO ZZZ. DURING DEPLANING; A FEW PAX SPOKE TO US AND THERE WAS NO FEELING OF CONCERN OR NEGATIVE EFFECTS.