Can you get tetanus from eating dirt?

Getting Tetanus: You get tetanus from exposure to the bacterium, clostridium tetani. It is uncommon to acquire tetanus from eating contaminated dirt, but it is possible. Most of the time an open wound, such as a cut, is exposed to the bacterium. Anytime a cut occurs, especially if there is a puncture wound, a tetanus shot should be given, especially if it has been a few years since the last vaccination.